Mariners Highlights: Cal Raleigh’s 1st spring HR comes against old friend

Cal Raleigh hit a career-high 34 home runs for the Seattle Mariners in 2024, and the M’s are counting on that power to help them compete for the American League West crown this year.

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They got good news on that front Monday, as the switch-hitting catcher checked in with his first big fly of Cactus League play in Arizona this spring training.

The homer in the 7-2 M’s win came against a familiar face, too.

If you watched that video above with the sound on, or if you just have a good memory for pitching deliveries, you’ll know the pitcher on the mound for the Cleveland Guardians: former Mariners standout reliever Paul Sewald.

The veteran right-hander’s fastball caught a bit too much of the zone, and Sewald’s old backstop didn’t miss it, crushing the pitch for a no-doubt homer onto the berm beyond right field at the Peoria Sports Complex.

Sewald is entering his first season with Cleveland after signing with the team in free agency earlier this year. He spent the last few months of 2023 and all of 2024 with the Arizona Diamondbacks after being dealt in a trade deadline swap by Seattle. Sewald, now 34, broke out with the Mariners in 2021, establishing himself as the team’s best reliever during two successful seasons.

Raleigh’s homer on Monday was his third hit in 15 at-bats this spring.

It’s been a big offseason for the fourth-year big leaguer. He won his first American League Gold Glove at catcher, only to be given a bigger honor shortly after – the AL’s Platinum Glove, which recognizes the league’s best defensive player regardless of position. And just last week, Raleigh flew back up to the Emerald City from spring training to receive the honor of Men’s Sports Star of the Year at the Seattle Sports Commission’s 90th annual Sports Star of the Year Awards.

More accolades for Big Dumper!

Cal Raleigh has been named the 2025 @SeattleSC Men's Sports Star of the Year. Congrats, Cal! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/F0GkrKml9h

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) February 28, 2025

Web gem at the wall

Another member of the Mariners’ usual starting lineup had a highlight Monday worth taking in.

Playing center field, Victor Robles flashed the leather with an impressive catch up against the wall.

Robles was a pleasant surprise for the M’s last year, coming over as a midseason signing after he was released by the Washington Nationals. The former top prospect proved to be one of the best players in baseball for the rest of the season, slashing .328/.393/.467 for an .860 OPS and 30 stolen bases on 31 attempts, putting up 3.1 WAR in just 77 games for Seattle.

That earned Robles a contract extension before season’s end, and he now enters 2025 penciled in as Seattle’s starting right fielder – though he will surely get time in center as well when Julio Rodríguez gets a day at designated hitter or out of the lineup. As evidenced by his play on Monday, Robles is a natural center fielder, so having him in right gives Seattle one of the more athletic outfields in baseball.

How sparkplug Victor Robles reignited career with Mariners

Also worth noting from Monday’s game, buzzworthy M’s prospect Lazaro Montes hit a double to the opposite field and later drew a bases-loaded walk. Starting on the mound was Luis Castillo, who struck out a pair in three innings of two-run ball.

Following Monday’s game with Cleveland, the Mariners are off Tuesday before returning to Cactus League action Wednesday in a 5:05 p.m. game against the Kansas City Royals.

The M’s will open the regular season on Thursday, March 27 at T-Mobile Park against the Athletics.

More on the Seattle Mariners

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