The Big Dumper is ready to put the injured list behind him.
Cal Raleigh will be activated from the IL prior to Tuesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles, the Seattle Mariners catcher told Adam Jude of the Seattle Times on Monday.
Raleigh suffered a right oblique strain in early May and was placed on the IL on May 14, the day after he ended a dreadful 0-for-38 skid at the plate. He tried to play through the injury for a few weeks before his IL stint.
The 29-year-old wrapped up a successful minor-league rehab assignment Sunday by going 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored for Triple-A Tacoma while also catching all nine innings. He hit .412/.500/1.294 with five homers and 12 RBIs over five games in the minors.
"It's definitely been exciting to be back in uniform and playing," Raleigh told Jude. "That's the best part about it, is getting those nerves and those good butterfly feelings back again, which is awesome. Really excited and energetic to get going again."
Much was expected of Raleigh after a record-setting 2025 season, in which he hit 60 home runs and finished second in AL MVP voting. However, he got off to a slow start in 2026: he went hitless while backing up Will Smith on Team USA at the World Baseball Classic and then managed just .161/.243/.317 with seven homers in 181 plate appearances for Seattle before the injury.
Raleigh spent several weeks rehabbing at the Mariners' spring facilities in Arizona ahead of returning to game action. The extended time away proved beneficial, as he said it gave him a chance to clear his head and put himself in the best position to return mentally at full strength.
"Obviously, getting healthy was No. 1," Raleigh said. "But taking a step back and understanding where I'm at, and understanding where the team is at and watching from afar - it's not what I wanted to do, but ultimately it was a good time to reflect and see what I could do better, see where I can make some adjustments, both as a player and as a teammate."
The Mariners have used Mitch Garver and Jhonny Pereda behind the plate in Raleigh's absence. A corresponding roster move won't be announced until Tuesday, but Seattle will likely option Pereda to Triple-A.
Raleigh isn't the only Mariners veteran likely to return Tuesday. Longtime infielder J.P. Crawford is expected to be activated from the IL after a 10-day stint with a hand contusion. Crawford, a longtime fixture at shortstop in Seattle, will likely make a permanent move to third base in deference to rookie Colt Emerson, according to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com.
Seattle optioned infielder Patrick Wisdom to Triple-A on Monday, a move that presumably cleared Crawford's active roster spot.
