Cal Raleigh is not relenting in his snubs of Mariners teammates playing on opposing sides at the World Baseball Classic.
Just as Seattle’s slugging catcher had refused to shake the hand of MLB teammate Randy Arozarena during a game against Mexico earlier in the week, Raleigh similarly declined to engage with Canada‘s Josh Naylor during Team USA’s quarterfinal victory Friday night in Houston.
In the first inning of the Americans’ 5-3 win, Naylor extended his fist to Raleigh behind the plate, but he did not oblige his Mariners teammate with a bump.
“We were all just joking. Trying to really make light of the situation,” Naylor said after the game. “I texted him before that I was going to do it. He said, ‘Please don’t.’
“But me and Cal are really good friends. He’s an awesome teammate and honestly one of my favorite teammates I think I’ve ever had in my career. He’s such a leader, too. I was really, really happy to get traded to the Mariners last year and kind of experience being in the locker room with him.”
Naylor added that Raleigh did say to him, “Good to see you, brother” during the exchange. He didn’t seem to be as angered by the snub as Arozarena had been earlier in the week.
Speaking to a Mexican journalist in Spanish, Arozarena had said that Raleigh can “f—k off“ and “go to hell.”
Raleigh responded after Monday’s game by saying he has “no beef” with Arozarena.
The Seattle Times reported that team USA players had agreed before the tournament started that they would not fraternize with those on other teams.
“They’re not just exhibition games,” Raleigh said. “These are super important. I have a responsibility to my teammates and my country to be locked in and focused each game and do everything I can to win.”
Arozarena and Naylor should be back in Mariners camp in the coming days, with Raleigh to follow once Team USA’s run concludes. They will face the Dominican Republic on Sunday in the semifinals.
“It’s not that big of a deal to be completely honest,” Naylor said of Raleigh’s snubs. “I like joking with my teammates and he’s an awesome friend of mine.
“So I love Cal and wish him the best. I can’t wait to see him and joke about him with it in the locker room when we get back to Arizona.”
