Mariners’ Cal Raleigh didn’t buy Gilbert’s compliment about his new look

The Seattle Mariners have a new look behind the plate.

That doesn’t mean they have a new player catching – although veteran Mitch Garver has started seeing regular playing time at the position in recent weeks. It just means that starting catcher Cal Raleigh has a new haircut. A very short one.

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Raleigh was a good sport and let team legend Jay Buhner and a professional barber shave his head last week for the return of the Mariners’ Buhner Buzz Night promotion. The reviews of his new look have been… let’s just say mixed.

“I told him it looked great and he could tell right away that I didn’t mean it,” Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert told Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob.

Gilbert and Raleigh are close friends, as they were both 2018 MLB Draft picks by Seattle and have been a battery tandem since beginning their pro careers together in the Mariners farm system. So it makes sense that Raleigh could see through Gilbert’s attempt at a compliment.

Then again, part of the reason for that could be that Raleigh’s haircut went shorter than he thought it would be.

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“He said he was even expecting it to be short, but like a two or a three (setting on the hair clippers) or whatever,” Gilbert said. “And then later on, the other barber came up and just got it all off, so I don’t even think he was expecting that. I definitely wasn’t. When I walked in the clubhouse and saw him, I’m like, ‘Who’s the new guy?’ Hopefully it gets a little sun, a little tan because I think that’s the main problem right now.”

Gilbert commended Raleigh as he wouldn’t have been willing to have his own trademark long locks shorn – not that he was asked.

“I think he was very brave. I’ll give him that, very brave … I didn’t get asked. I’m very offended by that,” Gilbert joked. “No, I definitely wouldn’t have done it. I’m glad they didn’t ask me.”

For now, Gilbert said he’ll continue to have some fun at Raleigh’s expense.

“He did it to himself, right? He set himself up, so it’s fun. I’m gonna have that for a while until it grows back.”

Radio call of Raleigh’s walk-off grand salami is an instant classic

Listen to the full Wyman and Bob conversation with Seattle Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert from Edgar’s Cantina in T-Mobile Park in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post.

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