Known as the "Big Dumper'' in 2025 for winning the Home Run Derby and hitting a career-high 60 home runs for the Seattle Mariners, Cal Raleigh didn't refrain from speaking the obvious truth about his struggles this season, stating, "I'm awful.'' 

This was also following the Mariners' five-game losing streak, who now sit four games back of a final AL wild-card spot. 

This season, Raleigh is slashing a miserable .159/.264/.299 with 12 home runs and a .564 OPS. This is a significant downturn from last season, when he was the runner-up for AL MVP. 

He's without question added to the Mariners' offensive slump, sporting a high strikeout rate of 32.2 percent that sits in the fifth percentile, as well as a 36.6 percent chase rate that ranks in the 15th percentile. 

What's gone wrong for Cal Raleigh in 2026?

Back in May, Raleigh went on one of the longest hitless streaks (0-for-34) this season, going from the "Big Dumper" to the "Big Slumper." While fans have argued that the slump was temporary, we're now in August, and things have not changed for the slugger. 

His swing has been off-balance as he's consistently been late with hitting fastballs while being early on offspeed pitches. It is believed that his participation in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) earlier this spring has impacted his timing, which has caused him to break his rhythm at the plate.

His poor .159 batting average is also tied for the third-worst single-season batting average in MLB history across a minimum of 350 plate appearances. But the fact that he has taken accountability for his hardships this season showcases leadership, as he knows that both he and the Mariners have to play better. 

"We're not playing well. That starts with me. I'm awful. I've got to find a way to be better and to help bring the guys along. We just gotta play better. We're just playing very, very, very bad baseball in every facet of the game," Raleigh commented on the Mariners' adversities.