Mariners' Cal Raleigh snaps hitless streak with single against Astros

Mariners' Cal Raleigh snaps hitless streak with single against Astros originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

One of the bigger storylines that surrounded the MLB last season was the home run battle between the Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh and the Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber. When all was said and done, Raleigh would reign supreme over his National League East counterpart, 60-56.

It would cap off what was a stellar season for the Mariners’ slugger, as he would slash .247/.359/.948 with 125 RBIs to his name, finishing runner-up to Aaron Judge for the American League Most Valuable Player award.

Going into the offseason, following Seattle’s postseason shortcomings in the American League Championship Series, all eyes were on Raleigh to see if he’d be able to build on his output in the prior season.

However, the 29-year-old wouldn’t get off to the best start as a member of the United States’ National Team during the World Baseball Classic, failing to record a single hit through his 14 appearances. These struggles would persist into the start of the regular season, as Raleigh is slashing .157/.238/.320 through his opening 39 games.