The Seattle Mariners are coming off a disappointing series sweep at the hands of the Miami Marlins.

The three consecutive losses dropped the Mariners to .500 (47-47) and put them a half-game behind the Texas Rangers for first place in the American League West.

With one series to go before the All-Star Break, a three-game set against the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays, it's fair to say that this season hasn't gone according to plan for Seattle so far.

The Mariners entered this season with legitimate World Series aspirations after advancing to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series last season.

Coinciding with Seattle's team struggles has been the individual struggles of catcher Cal Raleigh.

Raleigh finished second in American League MVP voting last season after hitting 60 home runs, an MLB single-season record for a catcher and a switch hitter.

After a slow start to the season, Raleigh spent a month and change nursing a right oblique strain. He was on the injured list from May 14-June 16.

Raleigh hasn't been able to regain his MVP-caliber form since being activated off the IL. He's slashed .168/.266/.315 with a .581 OPS in 62 games this season and has hit seven doubles and nine home runs with 29 RBIs. He went 3-for-12 with two doubles and an RBI in the series against the Marlins.

Raleigh's oblique strain played a part in his struggles this year, and according to at least one Mariners coach, the injury was bothering the 2025 MVP runner-up longer than initially thought.

In a recent appearance on MLB Now, which was excerpted in an article written by Zac Hereth for Seattle Sports, bench coach Manny Acta said Raleigh was dealing with the injury from the start of the season.

According to Acta's comments, Raleigh attempted to make up for the at-bats he missed in spring training while competing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. He overworked himself, which led to his oblique strain.

Acta's comments confirm a suspicion that has been held throughout the season.

In a recent appearance on the Refuse to Lose podcast, hosted by Roundtable Sports' own Brady Farkas, ESPN insider Buster Olney pointed out the amount of players who've struggled this season who competed in the international tournament.

"The more people I talk to, the more that I believe that (the WBC) was a huge factor for the Mariners, for the Kansas City Royals, for the Boston Red Sox, for the Toronto Blue Jays," Olney said on the podcast. " ... Hitters are creatures of habit. They got into spring training and they're used to having — you show up at (7 a.m.), you have your breakfast, you go out, you take some rounds of hitting, maybe do some defense, and then you take some more swings and more swings and you gradually work your way in. What changed this spring in the WBC is the hours available to players to prepare. Cal was affected by that. I'm absolutely convinced of that. I think (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) was affected by that."

The full podcast discussion can be listened to here:

Based on Acta's comments, Raleigh is healthy and his oblique injury is behind him. If he's able to get fully refreshed coming out of the All-Star Break, there's a good chance the 2025 All-Star will have a better form in the second half than the first.

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