Logan Gilbert and Cal Raleigh's Spring Reunion Has Seattle's Opening Day Battery Ready to Roll
Logan Gilbert and Cal Raleigh took the mound together one more time before the real games start, and it was exactly the kind of preparation the Mariners needed heading into opening day. The duo, who will be Seattle's battery when the season kicks off, connected for Gilbert's final spring outing in a B game against the Padres in Peoria, Arizona on Friday morning, and the vibe was all business.
Why Skip the Big League Game?
Here's the thing: the Mariners had a Cactus League game scheduled against the Guardians later that evening in Goodyear, but the front office made a strategic call to have Gilbert pitch in the lower-stakes B game instead. Smart move, honestly. If you're going to face a team early in the season, you don't want to tip your hand in spring training. Gilbert's next start comes in six days against that same Cleveland squad, so hiding him now makes all the sense in the world.
Raleigh, who has been away from camp for two and a half weeks playing in the World Baseball Classic, wasn't about to miss this chance to catch his guy one more time before the grind begins. The All-Star catcher had also played the night before in Mesa but insisted on getting in the lineup as the designated hitter to snag extra at-bats. He went 1-for-5 with a 438-foot double on a bases loaded situation. That's Raleigh in a nutshell, right there.
Getting on the Same Page
Gilbert threw 80 pitches over five-plus innings, working through his entire arsenal. He even experimented with changeups that won't show up during the regular season. The key moment? Raleigh called seven or eight sinkers, a pitch Gilbert was shaking off all last year. "I probably threw four or five," Gilbert said. "I was the one shaking them off. The roles reversed after 10 years."
The cutter got plenty of run too, a pitch Gilbert has been working to use more frequently. By the final innings, they'd checked every box, so they switched gears to emphasize specific sequencing and pitch combinations. Manager Dan Wilson loved what he saw. "It was smart to get a chance to get them together today with this being the final tune up," Wilson said.
Opening day is coming fast, and having your top starter and All-Star catcher clicking together right now? That's exactly what the Mariners needed to see before the season matters.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.