Are the Seattle Mariners’ Slumping Stars a Cause for Concern?
- The Seattle Mariners have opened the 2026 MLB season with significant offensive struggles, leaving the team at the bottom of the standings with a 4-9 record as of...
- The struggle is most pronounced in the heart of the order, where the 2-3-4-5 hitters are producing a combined batting average of .133.
- Cal Raleigh enters the 2026 season following a historic 2025 campaign in which he set a franchise record with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs.
The Seattle Mariners have opened the 2026 MLB season with significant offensive struggles, leaving the team at the bottom of the standings with a 4-9 record as of April 12, 2026. The slump is headlined by the poor performance of the team’s star hitters, specifically catcher Cal Raleigh and center fielder Julio Rodríguez.
The Mariners’ lineup is currently batting a combined .184. The struggle is most pronounced in the heart of the order, where the 2-3-4-5 hitters are producing a combined batting average of .133. This offensive drought was highlighted by a recent series in Texas where the team was swept and managed to score only three runs across three games.
Cal Raleigh’s Early Season Decline
Cal Raleigh enters the 2026 season following a historic 2025 campaign in which he set a franchise record with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs. His performance last year earned him 13 first-place MVP votes, resulting in him finishing as the American League MVP runner-up behind Aaron Judge.
However, Raleigh has struggled to replicate that success in the first 13 games of 2026. He is currently hitting .143 with one home run and 21 strikeouts in 49 at-bats. His OPS stands at .522, and he has recorded only three extra-base hits during this period.
The difficulties began prior to the regular season during the World Baseball Classic, where Raleigh posted a 2-for-15 line with 10 strikeouts and was eventually benched by the Team USA coaching staff. Reports indicate that Raleigh’s struggles against left-handed pitching have dropped significantly compared to his 2025 numbers.
Some analysts suggest the slump may be tied to physical fatigue. Raleigh played a career-high 159 games and logged 705 plate appearances in 2025. The physical demands of the catcher position, combined with the WBC schedule, may have delayed his rhythm at the plate.
Julio Rodríguez and Lineup Struggles
Julio Rodríguez is experiencing a similarly difficult start to the season. Through 13 games and 49 at-bats, Rodríguez has collected only seven hits, none of which have been for extra bases. This has resulted in a .393 OPS.
Rodríguez, who hit 30 home runs in 2025, has yet to record a home run in 2026. His current performance reflects a batting average of .077 through his first 26 at-bats, continuing a trend of slow starts that have historically affected his early-season production.
Context and Outlook
The offensive slump is a critical concern for a franchise that narrowly missed the playoffs in each of the previous two seasons. The inability of the team’s elite power hitters to produce has placed the Mariners in the cellar of the standings early in the year.
Despite the poor statistics, there are isolated signs of recovery. On March 30, Raleigh recorded a walk-off RBI single against the New York Yankees. With approximately 150 games remaining in the season, the Mariners will rely on their star players to regain the form that defined their 2025 success.