Story perspectives

Mariners Put Cal Raleigh on IL, Recall Pereda

5/15/2026

Summary

Raleigh Hits IL

The Seattle Mariners placed catcher Cal Raleigh on the 10-day injured list on May 14, 2026, marking his first IL stint in a six-year career due to a right oblique strain.
In 41 games he batted .161 with seven homers, 18 RBIs and 18 walks, the second-lowest average among qualified hitters.
Mariners recalled Jhonny Pereda from Triple-A Tacoma and traded José Suarez to Oakland for cash considerations.

Summary

Raleigh on IL

Catcher Cal Raleigh’s unexpected IL move led fantasy owners to flag him as a panic-button pick.
His ADP remains top-20 despite a .161 average, prompting buy-low interest.
Analyst Ken Rosenthal said the Mariners’ healthy pitching staff should keep them competitive while Raleigh recovers.
The Mariners sit at 21-23, two games behind the AL West leader, making the next weeks crucial.

Summary

Raleigh Hits IL

Mariners will pay Cal Raleigh’s $105 million contract through 2026, with his oblique strain marking the first IL stint to affect that deal.
After a 60-home-run, MVP-runner-up 2025 season, Raleigh now faces his first major-league injury missed under the contract.
Seattle released Andrew Knizner, signed Mitch Garver to a minor-league deal, and now depends on Triple-A catcher Jhonny Pereda (.321/.414/.417) despite Garver’s past IL trips raising durability concerns.

History

Historical Context

When Alex Rodriguez left the Seattle Mariners as a free agent after the 2000 season, he signed a 10-year, $252 million deal with the last-place Texas Rangers, the richest contract in sports at the time. The benchmark sparked league-wide caution, a pattern echoed in 2026 as the Mariners committed $105 million to catcher Cal Raleigh, whose injury now tests the risk of such mega deals.

1 of 4

Raleigh Hits IL

The Seattle Mariners placed catcher Cal Raleigh on the 10-day injured list on May 14, 2026, marking his first IL stint in a six-year career due to a right oblique strain.
In 41 games he batted .161 with seven homers, 18 RBIs and 18 walks, the second-lowest average among qualified hitters.
Mariners recalled Jhonny Pereda from Triple-A Tacoma and traded José Suarez to Oakland for cash considerations.

1 / 4