Cal Raleigh Just Did Something Special, and the M's Are Rolling
Cal Raleigh struck out three times. Then he absolutely crushed one. The Mariners catcher's bases-clearing double in the seventh inning capped a six-run explosion that carried Seattle to a 6-4 Cactus League win over Oakland on Thursday night at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, and honestly, this is exactly what you want to see heading into the regular season.
The Long Ball That Changed Everything
Raleigh wasn't even supposed to play Thursday. He'd been planning to take one more day off after sitting out more of the World Baseball Classic than expected, but he felt the itch to get some swings in. Good call. His first three at-bats? Strikeouts. His fourth at-bat? Majestic. On a 2-1 sinker, Raleigh connected and sent the ball 438 feet according to Statcast, smashing it high off the batters' eye wall in center field at Hohokam Park. Because there's no yellow home run line at the A's stadium like there is at Peoria, the entire structure stays in play. Raleigh's ball hit three-quarters of the way up the 27-foot wall, so instead of leaving the yard, he got an unexpected double that cleared the bases.
Manager Dan Wilson loved what he saw. "That's what he's looking for right there and over the next couple of days that's what he's going to continue to look for and find. Once he finds it and is consistent with it, he's going to be in great shape," Wilson said. "I thought that was a really nice, short, compact swing."
Ryan Bliss also drove in two runs with a single in that same seventh inning explosion. Raleigh did finish with four strikeouts after whiffing on a 3-2 cutter down and in from Jack Perkins in the ninth.
One Scare, and Some Solid Depth Pieces
The only concern: Rob Refsynder left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit on the left elbow by a pitch from J.T. Ginn. He didn't look to be in serious discomfort, but it was enough to get him out. Randy Arozarena came in as a midgame sub in left field and picked up two hits.
On the pitching side, Randy Dobnak threw three perfect innings before giving up three runs in the fourth. The guy could end up in Tacoma as insurance. Dane Dunning also pitched three innings in relief and allowed just one run on one hit. Both arms showed experience Wilson values for potential depth roles.
What's Next
Friday is packed for the M's. Logan Gilbert is expected to pitch in a minor league game in the morning. The Spring Breakout game is in the afternoon in Maryvale against the Brewers (2 p.m. PT on MLB Network), and then Seattle caps the day with a Cactus League game against the Guardians in Goodyear at 6:05 p.m. PT on Seattle Sports 710-AM.
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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.