The Mariners are failing Cal Raleigh

The Seattle Mariners are unlucky (read: cursed). The 2026 Mariners have proved this with countless late-inning chokes, especially as of late.

However, this year’s team is guilty of something far more heinous: failing resurgent talisman catcher Cal Raleigh, in more ways than one.

See, this year’s squad inherited Seattle’s historic bad luck. I don’t fault them for it, that just comes with the territory. The Mariners are famously the only MLB team to have never made the World Series, they had the infamous 116-win 2001 Mariners team freak playoff flameout — the stories go on and on. That’s all forgivable, at least for fans like me.

What’s not acceptable, or forgivable, is lazy management that exacerbates said misfortune, wastes players’ primes, and breaks the spirit of a potentially competitive team.

Here’s how that’s happening for Cal and this year’s team right now — and what needs to be done about it.

Mariners Manager Dan Wilson is wasting the 2026 season

I fully understand that baseball managers are the perfect scapegoats. When injuries happen, or players underperform, or, hell, even when just simple bad luck leads to unfortunate improbable losses, the manager often takes the blame. That’s how it should be. I would further argue that managers deserve that kind of blame AND, additionally, some of the blame for poor roster management.

I’m aware that general managers are ostensibly responsible for roster decisions, but let’s not kid ourselves; managers have some input in those decisions. The GM is talking to him and, in this case, Seattle’s manager Dan Wilson is talking back, so on and so forth.

So, when a team consistently puts out losing lineups, relies on slumping hitters when others are available, and completely biffs relief pitching rotations (leading to choke-job losses) night after night, I think it’s fair to say to said manager, enough is enough.

Case in point, Dan Wilson’s overreliance on the struggling RHB Taylor Ward, as well as his head-scratching reliance on shaky reliever RHP Edward Bazardo. These tendencies would be frustrating on their own, but are made doubly so by the fact that…

The 2026 Mariners could still salvage their season

If they do what needs to be done when it comes to their management.

Here’s how we stand. Cal Raleigh, after an abysmal start to the season, is having a blazing hot resurgence, raking homers left and right and finally looking like himself from last year. RHB slugger Randy Arozarena — who was the 2026 Mariners only All-Star — has continued his stellar season, with consistent multi-hit-and-RBI nights.

Yes, I’m aware that the Mariners’ usually reliable pitching has been suspect on the road.

BUT, point is, this team clearly, fiiiinally, has the bats required to win and keep winning (at least per the statistics):