Here's What Cal Raleigh Said Following First Rehab Appearance

EVERETT, Wash. — One of the Seattle Mariners star players is getting closer to a return.

Mariners starting catcher Cal Raleigh began a rehab assignment and played for the High-A Everett AquaSox on Sunday at Everett Memorial Stadium. It was Raleigh’s first game with Everett since his debut minor league stint in 2018.

Raleigh has been on the injured list since May 14 due to a right oblique strain he suffered towards the beginning of May. He missed three games with the injury before returning and attempting to play through it. But the lingering nature of the ailment forced him to go on the IL for the first time in his career.

Raleigh slashed .161/.243/.317 with a .560 OPS and hit four doubles and seven home runs with 18 RBIs in 41 games before being placed on the shelf.

The 2025 All-Star started at the designated hitter spot and batted third in the order for the AquaSox on Sunday.

“It’s good. Good day,” Raleigh said after his rehab start. “No issues and it felt good to get back out there.” 

Cal Raleigh gets on base for the first time via a single that gets past the infield.
1-for-3 with a strikeout.#Mariners#TridentsUppic.twitter.com/m4Kxc9viqI

— Teren Kowatsch (@Teren_Kowatsch) June 8, 2026

Raleigh had a relatively quiet day and finished 1-for-3, comprised of a flyout, a strikeout and a single. His flyout came on the first pitch of his first at-bat and was several feet away from being a two-run homer.

Cal Raleigh nearly hits a two-run homer the first pitch of his at-bat. Dies at the warning track.#Mariners#TridentsUppic.twitter.com/sVG24FLchr

— Teren Kowatsch (@Teren_Kowatsch) June 7, 2026

“It felt good,” Raleigh said. “I thought my timing would be a lot worse than it was today but I thought it was better. Ultimately I was pretty happy with how the day went overall. It was good. Good day.”

Timing and health are the key things the Mariners will be looking for during his rehab games. While Raleigh was attempting to fight through the injury, there would be some days where he would hardly feel it at all and others where it would be there persistently.

Raleigh said that he wasn’t feeling anything following his start, which is a positive step in the right direction.

“I didn’t feel it today,” Raleigh said. “We’re still just kind of (monitoring) it and hopefully keep progressing up, which I thought today was a step in the right direction, which is good. … Very happy with how it went.”

The next step for Raleigh will be to have the day off Monday, and then he will begin the next step of his rehab assignment, which will be him joining the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers for a week of games. Raleigh will play catcher Tuesday, which will be another step in his progression to see how he handles throwing from behind the plate.

Raleigh’s week-long rehab assignment with the Rainiers will conclude with a game June 14, which is also the last day of a 10-game road trip for Seattle. He’ll be reassessed on the off-day June 15 and, if things have progressed as planned, could be activated off the IL.

Raleigh’s first game with Tacoma is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. PT on Tuesday at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Wash.

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