‘Mental break’ delays Yankees’ Aaron Judge, Mariners’ Cal Raleigh 1st ’26 showdown
The Yankees and Mariners are playing a three-game series this week at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
SEATTLE — Mariners fans booed Yankees captain Aaron Judge more than usual on Monday night because they’re still not over how the 2025 American League MVP vote turned out . They didn’t even get a chance to cheer their guy for the start of the series opener with catcher Cal Raleigh getting a mental break not even a week into his follow-up to a 60-homer season. Then in the home seventh, with the game tied 1-1 and the lead run on third base with one out, Raleigh was sent into pitch-run against Yankees left-hander Brent Headrick.
Might Cal struck out ... again. Staying in the game as the Mariners’ DH, Raleigh had one more chance in the ninth.
This time Raleigh lined a walk-off hit to right and the Mariners won 2-1. Neither of the star players has had a great start to the season, but Judge contributed two homers while going 2-for-11 with seven strikeouts in the Yankees’ three-game sweep in San Francisco while Raleigh now is 3-16 with two RBIs and 11 Ks in five games. Carefully choosing his words before the game, Mariners manager Dan Wilson explained Raleigh being out of his lineup so early in the season without an injury.
“Yeah, I think a day off for a catcher is always a mental reset,” Wilson said. “Not having to partake in the grind back there pitch-to-pitch and then take your ABs. “In a lot of ways it’s a mental and physical off day.