Hour 4-Cal Raleigh to the IL, and M's Insider Shannon Drayer with the latest on Cal

Cal Raleigh's first career trip to the injured list marks a pivotal turning point for the Mariners, not just as a roster move but as a necessary intervention for a player who had been grinding through pain for weeks. The team's decision to place him on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain—confirmed after a visibly painful play and a failed throw—was framed not as a failure, but as a strategic reset. Hosts Brock and Salk argue that Raleigh’s relentless work ethic, while admirable, had become self-destructive: he was playing at less than 100%, risking further damage, and failing to deliver offensively. Shannon Dreher, the Mariners’ insider, confirms that the medical team made the call, not Raleigh, and that the injury likely stems from accumulated strain dating back to the World Baseball Classic and a rushed spring. The real story isn’t just the injury—it’s the psychological and physical necessity of rest. With the Mariners facing a manageable stretch ahead, the absence of Raleigh forces a shift in identity: less power, more precision. The team must now rely on defensive catchers like Johnny Pareda, a balanced offense, and the emergence of players like Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor to fill the void. The episode concludes with a sobering but hopeful message: sometimes, the best thing a team can do for its star is to protect him from himself.