The Seattle Mariners received some tough news this week as their star catcher, Cal Raleigh, has been sidelined with a right oblique strain. The 2025 American League MVP finalist and All-Star will be placed on the 10-day injured list, putting a pause on what has been a standout season for the backstop.

The injury has been a lingering issue for Raleigh over the past two weeks. He previously missed three games against the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves earlier this month but chose to play through the discomfort. Unfortunately, the strain flared up again during Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros, forcing the Mariners to take a more cautious approach.

According to Seattle general manager Justin Hollander, Raleigh will be shut down from all baseball activities for at least one week. During this time, he will receive an injection in his side—though it remains unclear whether it will be a cortisone shot or a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection. The goal is to address the lingering soreness and ensure a full recovery.

"The scans were similar or slightly improved from what we had earlier this month," Hollander shared during a pregame interview. "That's encouraging. We didn't make it worse. Hopefully, we can get the soreness out, and he can resume baseball activities. We'll take it week-to-week, but we don't anticipate this being a long-term issue."

Raleigh will head to the team's spring training complex in Peoria, Arizona, to rehab the injury. The catcher himself acknowledged that if it were later in the season, he would try to play through it. But with plenty of baseball left, the Mariners are prioritizing his long-term health over short-term gain.

For now, Seattle fans will have to wait for their superstar to return to action. In the meantime, the team will rely on its depth behind the plate to keep the momentum going.