Author: David Schoenfield Apr 11, 2026, 07:00 AM ET
Rough Start for the Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are experiencing a challenging season beginning, reminiscent of playing baseball in Yakutsk, Russia. In their first 13 games, they achieved a dismal average of .184, leading to the lowest standing at 4-9. Despite a commendable franchise-best ERA of 2.62 during this period, they were thoroughly swept in Texas, scoring only three runs in three games and managing just 11 hits, highlighted by a disappointing two-hit shutout on Wednesday.
Struggles of Key Hitters
The team’s 2-3-4-5 hitters—Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, Josh Naylor, and Randy Arozarena—are collectively hitting just .133 with a single home run. Notably, Raleigh, after a stellar 60-home run season, is also under pressure with a .143 average and 21 strikeouts, the second-highest in MLB.
Analyzing Raleigh’s Performance
In examining Raleigh’s 55 plate appearances, it became evident that he is struggling significantly. Key takeaways from notable at-bats include multiple strikeouts due to missed opportunities against pitches that should have been capitalized on. Despite having shown promise last year, his current swing-and-miss rate against fastballs has skyrocketed, a critical area for improvement.
Drastic Shift in Performance Metrics
Raleigh’s stellar 2025 season showcased his ability against left-handed pitching, but in 2026, those metrics have plummeted. His contact rate on middle-zone pitches dropped from 80.7% to 67.6%. This drastic decline mirrors a larger team struggle where the Mariners hit 34.2% hard-hit balls compared to 42.8% last year, indicating an alarming trend in their offensive capabilities.
Importance of Getting Back on Track
The simultaneous underperformance of the Mariners’ key hitters emphasizes a dire situation that goes beyond mere bad luck. Their overall contact rates have decreased significantly, coupled with a worrying tendency to swing-and-miss. With previous seasons showing resilience in bouncing back, such patterns could hinder them in a tight playoff race, especially given the near misses in the past two years.
Conclusion: Early Season Context
Despite the disappointing start, history suggests it may still be too early to panic. Given Raleigh’s previous streaky hitting and Rodriguez’s well-documented slow starts, there is potential for recovery. However, for a franchise that narrowly missed playoffs twice, the starting woes could have consequences as the season progresses.
