There’s been a noticeable change in Cal Raleigh’s game since the start of last season that has helped him become a more complete force at the plate.
The Seattle Mariners’ switch-hitting slugger has vastly improved his ability to hit from the right side of the plate, so much so that he no longer gets regular rest days against left-handed starters. Those rest days also may have been part of the problem for Raleigh when it comes to hitting right-handed.
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The reigning AL Platinum Glove winner addressed what’s gone into his improved hitting from the right side during the latest edition of The Cal Raleigh Show with Seattle Sports Mariners insider Shannon Drayer.
Hard work and reps
In Raleigh’s first three big league seasons, his off days almost exclusively came when the M’s were set to face southpaws. Some of that was because Seattle had Tom Murphy and Luis Torrens as their other catchers for most of that time, two right-handers hitters who were at their best against left-handed pitching. But Raleigh’s lesser abilities from the right side were also a factor.
Raleigh said he felt the lack of reps early on against lefties contributed to some of his struggles from the right side of the plate. After the 2023 season, he was determined to make keeping him out of the lineup against left-handers a decision the team no longer wanted to make.
“The offseason of ’23 going into ’24 I made it a big thing. Like, hey, I got to get better as a right-handed hitter.” Raleigh said. “Obviously, the left (side) is good and it feels good, but I need to become more of a weapon on the right side. … It all started there.”
Raleigh started to see the fruits of his labor last season. He entered 2024 as a career .216 hitter right-handed with seven home runs in 242 plate appearances. In 2024, he hit just .183 against southpaws in 171 plate appearances, but he nearly doubles his career home run total from the right side with 13 longballs.
“Last year I thought I saw it pay off a little bit,” Raleigh said. “And then continuing to hammer that stuff down and really just trying to be consistent in my work, my preparation and really just trying to keep that approach and realize that – if I can do that and I could just hone that in every single day and stay there, then not try to stray off the tracks – then I’ll be in a good spot and I’ll be where I want to be from the right side.”
This year, Raleigh’s numbers as a right-handed hitter have skyrocketed. He’s hitting .296 (56 points above his .240 average from the left side) and has already mashed eight home runs in just 76 plate appearances. His 1.018 OPS against left-handed pitching is 21st in MLB.
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While Raleigh’s numbers have greatly improved, he recognizes that his work is never done as a big league hitter.
“It doesn’t matter how good you are, you never truly figure it out,” he said. “You never really do, because the minute you think you got it figured out, you don’t and the game will kick you right in the butt and tell you, you don’t have it figured out.”
Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Listen to The Cal Raleigh Show on Thursdays during Wyman and Bob.
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