It would appear Cal Raleigh is ready to return.
Seattle’s record-breaking catcher hit five home runs in his first four rehabilitation games with Triple-A Tacoma (Wash.) and could be activated from the injured list Tuesday, when the Mariners open a three-game series with the visiting Baltimore Orioles.
Raleigh, who hit a major league leading 60 home runs last season — the most ever for a catcher and a switch-hitter — has been out since May 14 with a strained right oblique, the first time he’s been on the injured list in his career.
“It’s really hard watching the games on TV and not being there. It’s a ‘Twilight Zone’ kind of feeling,” Raleigh said. “But it makes you appreciate it a little more when you’re that far away and you realize you don’t get to do it every day.”
The American League West-leading Mariners, who just completed a 4-6 trip that included a four-game split in Baltimore, are also expected to activate shortstop J.P. Crawford (bruised hand), who was hit by a pitch in the first game of the trip on June 5 against the Detroit Tigers.
In addition, the Mariners hope to have left fielder Randy Arozarena, first baseman Josh Naylor and closer Andres Munoz available. Arozarena missed the past two games with left hamstring tightness; Naylor had to leave Sunday’s 10-1 loss at Washington early after fouling a ball off his right shin; and righty Munoz departed after throwing nine pitches Sunday with lower back tightness.
“It was a long (trip) in terms of just personnel, in terms of injuries, guys getting dinged up a little bit,” said Mariners manager Dan Wilson, who also watched relievers Matt Brash (right lat strain) and Cooper Criswell (right shoulder strain) go on the IL in the past week. “That always makes it a little tricky. You lose your consistency a little bit in the lineup.
“Those things are going to happen. Those stretches are going to happen from time to time, and just seem to hit us here on the road trip, and you know that’s why it’ll be good to get home.”
After losing the first two games to Seattle last week, the Orioles took the final two and then won the opener of a three-game weekend series with San Diego — their fifth three-game winning streak of the season. But they dropped both games over the weekend, including a 5-2 decision Sunday as they went 1-for-8 with runners on base and stranded eight.
“I feel like if we keep playing the way we are, we’ll get on a good streak,” Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson said. “You can’t force it to happen. All you can do is go out there and continue to string together good games.”
Tuesday’s series opener is scheduled to feature a pair of right-handers in the Orioles’ Brandon Young (5-1, 3.04 ERA) against the Mariners’ Logan Gilbert (4-4, 3.62).
Young beat Seattle 7-2 last Wednesday when he allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings, with two walks and five strikeouts. That was his only previous appearance against the Mariners.
Gilbert didn’t get a decision last Tuesday in Baltimore in a game the Mariners won 6-5 in 10 innings. He gave up one run on three hits over six innings, with two walks and five strikeouts. Gilbert is 1-1 with a 2.92 ERA in four career starts versus the Orioles.
–Field Level Media
