Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is shouldering the blame for his team's struggles this season.
Raleigh is slashing .159/.264/.299 with 12 homers and 43 RBIs over 86 games. Last year, the 2025 AL MVP runner-up hit an MLB-best 60 homers - a single-season record for a catcher - to go along with 125 RBIs and a .948 OPS.
"It starts with me. I'm awful. It is what it is," Raleigh said Tuesday after the Mariners' fifth straight loss, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com. "I have to find a way to be better and help the guys along. We just have to play better, ultimately. We are playing very bad baseball in every facet of the game. We have to pick it up from the energy standpoint to the execution to help us win games. We are not doing that right now."
The Mariners have gone 8-14 since the All-Star break to drop to a season-worst eight games under .500.
"We have to bring that edge every day," Raleigh said. "It's tough. When things are not going your way, it's hard. You feel everybody is against you. But you have to have a good attitude. Ultimately, bring that edge to play every single day because nothing is given to you. We have to go take it.
"Sometimes, when you are feeling bad for yourself, you get a little lackadaisical out there, maybe have a little less energy. That starts with me, and I have to do a better job of that each and every night - just being prepared and ready to go every single night."
Seattle (56-64) enters Wednesday's action 4.5 games out of the AL West lead and four games out of the final wild-card spot. The club came within one win of reaching the first World Series in franchise history in 2025.
