Cal Raleigh’s Lineup Return Gives Mariners Needed Relief After Injury Scare

Raleigh is back, but the Mariners are still playing this carefully.

Apr 21, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) reacts after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Athletics at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images | John Froschauer-Imagn Images

The good news is the worst-case version of this story has not arrived. Raleigh has returned to the Mariners’ starting lineup Tuesday night against the Braves after missing three games with soreness in his right oblique. The Mariners aren’t asking him to catch just yet, which is worth noting, but they are comfortable enough to put him back in his usual No. 2 spot as the designated hitter.

This is still a pretty clear signal that Seattle feels comfortable enough with him swinging a bat. So the fact that Raleigh is already back in the lineup, even at DH, is the kind of update the Mariners absolutely needed. Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times also reported that Raleigh was playing catch before the game, which adds another encouraging layer to the whole thing. 

This is where the Mariners have to be careful, though. Raleigh avoiding the IL for now is a relief. It’s not a reason to pretend the scare never happened. Seattle has already had to navigate what life looks like without its All-Star catcher for a few games, and it’s not exactly a fun exercise. Raleigh entered Tuesday hitting .186 with a .272 on-base percentage, .380 slugging percentage, seven home runs and 18 RBI, so the season line has not fully taken off yet. But that only tells part of the story.

Mariners Keep Extra Catching Cover As Cal Raleigh Avoids Injured List

Raleigh is still a switch-hitting power threat, and still the heartbeat of the pitching staff. The DH assignment is the compromise. It lets Seattle get his bat back in there without asking him to handle the extra physical tax of catching right away. That feels like the correct middle ground. Let him swing. And let the Mariners move him back toward normal without forcing the issue this early in the season.

That last part is the key. The Mariners need Raleigh for far more than one game against Atlanta, so this is a good update without being a total all-clear. But the Mariners also appear willing to keep some extra protection in place, continuing with three catchers on the roster for the time being by keeping Jhonny Pereda up until Raleigh is ready to resume his normal role as the primary catcher. That feels like the right balance: get Raleigh’s bat back as soon as it’s safe, but don’t rush the full catching workload.

For the Mariners, that is a needed exhale. Now they just have to make sure it does not turn into another anxious holding pattern.