Crisis Averted: Arozarena and Raleigh Squash Their WBC Beef Right Before Opening Day
Remember that awkward moment at the World Baseball Classic when Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh got into it? Yeah, well, it's officially dead. Arozarena released a statement Saturday saying he apologized to his Mariners teammate for the heated comments he made after their teams faced off in Mexico, and both guys are making it clear: there's zero drama heading into the season.
What Actually Went Down at the WBC
On March 9, Arozarena and Team Mexico squared up against Raleigh and Team USA. When Raleigh declined to shake Arozarena's hand before an at-bat, things got tense. Arozarena went off in a profane rant to Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert right there on the field. It was messy, it was public, and for a minute there it looked like it could become a real problem in the Seattle clubhouse.
Both Guys Are Moving Forward
But here's the thing: Arozarena and Raleigh actually talked it out almost immediately. "I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don't want it to be a distraction," Arozarena said in his statement. "Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game. Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates."
Raleigh backed that up completely. "We talked it out, and everything went great," he told reporters Saturday, per MLB.com. "Randy knows that I love him, and he's a brother, and it's in the past and none of us are carrying this forward. We're in a good spot."
The All-Star catcher was even more emphatic about putting it behind them. "As fun as the WBC was, it was nice to feel back here. It feels like the family's all back together in a way," Raleigh said. Both guys admitted they were sorry and cleared the air completely.
One Less Thing to Worry About
With Opening Day just around the corner, this is exactly the kind of distraction the Mariners didn't need. But credit to both players for handling it like adults. They talked, they apologized, they moved on. The Emerald City can breathe easy knowing the locker room is solid and everyone's on the same page heading into the season.
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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.