0-for-38, Then the IL: Cal Raleigh's Season Took a Wild Turn and Seattle Has to Deal With It Now

Alright, 12s, let's just rip the Band-Aid off. We've got huge news for our Mariners that's gonna sting a bit, right before a massive series at T-Mobile Park. Our slugger, Cal Raleigh, the guy who smashed 60 homers last season and set records, is on the 10-day injured list. First time in his career, too. He's battling a strained right oblique, and yeah, that means he's missing the start of the Vedder Cup series against the Padres. Talk about a gut punch when we need him most!

The Captain's Wild Ride: From Slump to Sidelines

You gotta feel for Cal. Mariners manager Dan Wilson put it plainly: "Nobody wants to go on the IL, and especially not Cal." But it sounds like this was the smart call. He first felt that soreness way back on May 1 after a game against Kansas City. He tried to play through it, sitting out three games, but let's be real, he clearly wasn't 100 percent when he came back. The numbers don't lie, right? He went through an ice-cold 0-for-38 slump before finally snapping it with a single against Houston. Then he was hitless again Wednesday, and his average plummeted to .161. Seven homers and 18 RBIs are nice, but we know he's capable of so much more. Wilson says there's no timetable for his return, with medical imaging scheduled for Friday. But he's optimistic, "he's got a chance to get himself back, to get himself healthy and come back with a lot of the season left." We're all crossing our fingers for a speedy recovery, Cal!

Vedder Cup Vengeance: Can the M's Hold Off San Diego?

Despite losing Raleigh, our boys have actually been playing some good ball. They just took three of four games in Houston, including a solid 8-3 victory on Thursday! That's the kind of fight we love to see. Meanwhile, the Padres stumbled, losing 7-1 to Milwaukee on Thursday, their first road series loss all season. Their pitcher, Griffin Canning, got shelled for six runs in less than two innings. Their manager, Craig Stammen, knows it, saying, "Sooner or later, you just can't put yourself in those types of holes." Remember that brutal series back in April, April 14-16, when the Padres swept us at their place? That puts them on the verge of claiming the Vedder Cup for 2026, which is named after Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. We CANNOT let that happen on our home turf!

Hancock vs. Vasquez: A Friday Night Showdown

So, for tonight's opener at T-Mobile, it's a battle of right-handers. We've got Emerson Hancock on the mound, sporting a 3-1 record with a 3.21 ERA. He's coming off his "worst start of the season," but still managed to snag a win as the Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 12-8 last Friday, even though he gave up five runs over six innings. He's actually 0-0 with a 2.30 ERA in three previous starts against the Padres. He'll be facing San Diego's Randy Vasquez, who's 4-1 with a 3.05 ERA. Vasquez bounced back from his only loss of the season by beating St. Louis last Saturday, giving up just one run over five innings. He also pitched against Hancock on April 15, giving up four runs on five hits over five innings, but the Padres rallied from a six-run deficit to beat us 7-6. Talk about a wild one! Can Hancock get some revenge and keep the Vedder Cup hopes alive? We're gonna need that Emerald City energy, 12s!

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