Mariners Stars Are Ice Cold Early, and the World Baseball Classic Might Be Why

Seven games in, and something feels off in the Seattle clubhouse. The Mariners have some serious talent on this roster, but right now, the bats are ice cold. The question buzzing around T-Mobile Park: Did the World Baseball Classic throw off their timing before the regular season even started?

Look, it's early. Real early. We're talking 4.3% of a 162-game season here. Plus, Seattle's been playing in brutal weather and facing some legitimately nasty competition, including a Yankees pitching staff that's been on a historic run and is one of the betting favorites to win the American League pennant. But the WBC definitely messed with normal spring training routines and progressions. Those high-intensity games had some value, sure, but losing your groove in the process? That's the trade-off nobody wanted.

Even reliever Gabe Speier admits his arm has been a little slower to bounce back after outings. "It's still early. I'm not worried about it," he said. "Two weeks from now I'll be in a good spot." The thing is, the slow starts aren't just a Seattle problem. Plenty of WBC participants across baseball are struggling right now.

Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez Are Pressing Hard

Cal Raleigh was supposed to keep rolling after last season. Instead, he's hitting .160 with a .450 OPS, 15 strikeouts in 28 plate appearances, and just one extra-base hit. His swing is broken from both sides of the plate. He's striking out on 53.6% of his at-bats. Max exit velo? 92.2 mph. He doesn't have a single official barrel yet according to MLB Statcast. The strikeout rate is the real problem: he had seven strikeouts in his first seven games last season. This year? More than double that.

"I don't feel terrible in the box," Raleigh said. "I feel like I've had some tough pitches, but at the same time, just need to execute a little bit."

At least Raleigh has a couple clutch moments, including a game-winning walk-off single against the Yankees on Monday. Julio Rodriguez? He's sitting at .077 with a .277 OPS. He's 2 for 26 with both hits being singles. Last season he was hitting .182 after seven games but with a .788 OPS. This is a new low for a guy who's a documented slow starter.

Josh Naylor and the Rest of the Lineup

Josh Naylor might be even colder. He's got just one hit in 27 at-bats for a .037 average and .170 OPS. His expected batting average (.212) suggests he's had some bad luck, but this is totally out of character for Naylor, who's posted an OPS of .784 or higher in his first seven games in each of the previous four seasons.

Not everyone is ice cold though. Randy Arozarena is hitting .250 with three doubles, two RBIs, and a .775 OPS. That tracks with his history. In five of the past six seasons, Arozarena has posted an OPS of .833 or higher over the first seven games.

The Mariners need their stars to wake up, and fast. Two weeks from now should tell us if this is WBC hangover or something more serious.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.