How Mariners star Cal Raleigh ended the longest hitless streak of his career
Photo by Logan Riely/MLB Photos via Getty Images Cal Raleigh finally ended the longest hitless streak of his career with a single against the Houston Astros, giving the Seattle Mariners catcher a badly needed reset. The hit mattered because this was not a normal cold spell. Raleigh had gone nearly two full weeks without a hit, and every at-bat was starting to carry the weight of the streak.
That made the single feel bigger than one line in a box score. For a power-hitting catcher who has carried major expectations, simply seeing the ball land safely was the breakthrough. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images Cal Raleigh finally breaks through for the Seattle Mariners As Talkin’ Baseball noted during the Mariners’ game against Houston, Cal Raleigh ended the longest hitless run of his career with a clean single.
“Cal Raleigh singles to snap an 0-for-38 stretch, the longest hitless streak of his career and of any player this season. ” That number shows how rough the stretch had become. Raleigh had not recorded a hit since April 27 before he finally connected in the seventh inning against Astros reliever Jayden Murray.
He entered that plate appearance already 0-for-2 with a walk on the night. Another empty at-bat would have pushed the story even further into uncomfortable territory. Instead, Raleigh found a way through.
It was not a towering home run or a dramatic extra-base hit, but it did not need to be. Cal Raleigh slump had become impossible to ignore The larger issue for Raleigh was that the drought had started to define his form. A catcher known for power was stuck in a stretch where contact, timing, and confidence all looked difficult.