The Mariners All-Star backstop is awaiting MRI results for side soreness that popped up in Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals and is out of the lineup for the series finale Sunday.
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners suffered one of their most disappointing losses of the season in a 3-2, extra-inning defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Royals on Saturday at T-Mobile Park.
The loss came despite a seven-inning, 14-strikeout performance from Mariners starting pitcher Emerson Hancock.
Seattle's defeat was further punctuated by 2025 American League MVP finalist and All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh being scratched late from the lineup.
After the game, Mariners manager Dan Wilson said Raleigh was dealing with "general soreness" but was unable to provide further specifics. The team recalled catcher Jhonny Pereda from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers before Saturday's game, raising further questions on the seriousness of Raleigh's mystery ailment.
Wilson and Raleigh clarified before the series finale against the Royals on Sunday that the latter is dealing with right side soreness.
The soreness popped up after the first game of the series against Kansas City on Friday. Raleigh went 0-for-4 in that game and drew a walk. He said in a pregame interview that there was not a specific moment where his side started to hurt and it simply popped up postgame.
Raleigh said, with the way he's feeling now, he could play through the soreness if he wanted to. However, he and the team's training staff are opting to err on the side of caution.
The team has had a first-hand look at the lingering effects of side/oblique injuries the past year as both outfielder Luke Raley and starting pitcher Bryce Miller have suffered them.
"Yeah, (I) could go out there and play," Raleigh said Sunday. "But overall, looking at it, it's May. Trust me, I want to be out there. But obviously thinking about the team and longevity and knowing that I'm thinking about the guys in there. Trying to do that and taking a day or two (is) probably best for everybody and myself. Obviously it's not what I want to be doing but better safe than sorry in this scenario."
Raleigh and the club are still awaiting MRI results, which will likely determine whether or not the All-Star backstop will go on the injured list. Raleigh said that he felt better Sunday than he did Saturday.
On Saturday, Raleigh's backup Mitch Garver made an unexpected start due to the former's late scratch. For Sunday's finale at 1:10 p.m. PT, Pereda will be tasked with catching starting pitcher Luis Castillo.
"What we saw from Jhonny in spring training was tremendous," Wilson said in a pregame interview Sunday. "He's been in the big leagues before and he's familiar with some of our guys now. I think with (Garver) and kind of putting him in quickly last night, chance for Jhonny to get out there today. ... We don't want to overuse Garver."
Raleigh is slashing .186/.272/.380 with a .652 OPS in 33 games this season. He's hit four doubles and a team-leading seven home runs with 18 RBIs.
In 30 games with the Athletics and Minnesota Twins last season, Pereda slashed .246/.325/.333 with a .658 OPS and hit six doubles with four RBIs.
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