Mariners Give Cal Raleigh Rest Day vs Brewers

Seattle Mariners rested catcher Cal Raleigh for Thursday\’s series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers, a decision made after Raleigh went 0-for-3 in the prior game. The lineup instead included Johnny Pereda at catcher behind starter George Kirby, while Taylor Ward handled designated hitter duties.

Seattle responded to a 22-0 loss in Tuesday\’s opener by winning 7-5 on Wednesday, setting up the rubber match on Thursday. For the finale, the Mariners also named Pereda to start behind the plate for Kirby, and Ward as the designated hitter.

According to NBC Sports, Raleigh entered the rest day after collecting three hits in his last 34 at-bats.

In Seattle\’s projected Thursday alignment, Pereda is listed as the catcher with Ward at DH, with George Kirby listed as the starting pitcher.

Raleigh\’s 2026 season has included a sharp offensive decline following his 2025 production. The Seattle Mariners catcher hit just .156 with a .296 slugging percentage and a .568 OPS, totaling 52 hits, 13 home runs, and 44 RBIs across 334 at-bats over 93 games, according to Yahoo Sports.

Yahoo Sports also reported that Raleigh previously led MLB in 2025 with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs and finished second in American League MVP voting.

With Thursday\’s decision, Seattle\’s immediate focus shifts to how the alternate catcher and lineup adjustments perform in the Brewers finale as Kirby and Robert Gasser are set to start.