Cal Raleigh took another step in his recovery from an oblique injury on the day of the report, swinging off a tee for 15 swings per side at 80% intensity. The Mariners still do not have a timetable for when he will return.
Justin Hollander met with reporters before Seattle’s series opener against the Diamondbacks, and the update gave Raleigh’s name the kind of attention fans have been waiting for. Raleigh is rehabbing in Arizona, but he is scheduled to visit the team in Seattle for a check-in with the medical staff and a chance to connect with teammates.
The work itself is the clearest sign of progress. Hollander said the next goal is not to pile on more reps but to raise the intensity, with the club trying to make sure Raleigh is fully ready when he does return to full speed. “We want to build responsibly and make sure that when he cuts it loose at 100%, that he feels 100%,” Hollander said.
That caution is the part that matters most to Seattle right now. Raleigh is getting closer, but the team is still refusing to put a date on his return, a reminder that oblique injuries can linger even when the baseball work starts to look normal. The Mariners are choosing readiness over a calendar, because a setback would cost more than a few extra days now.
Brendan Donovan is in a similar place, though his rehab is moving more slowly. He remains in Arizona, has not yet reached baseball activities and is running on an anti-gravity treadmill as he works back from a groin injury. If his pain does not return over the next couple of days, the club hopes he can begin a baseball running progression on a field next week when the team heads out on the road.
For now, Seattle has progress to point to and no return date to give. Raleigh’s visit will bring one more medical check and one more round of feedback before the next ramp-up, but the unanswered question is the same one that still hangs over the lineup: when he is cleared, will it be for a rehab assignment first, or for the kind of return that puts him back in game action right away?
