After Monday’s game, in which Cal Raleigh went 0-for-4 to extend his slump to a brutal 0-for-38 while dropping his batting average to .157 on the season, it’s safe to say desperation has fully set in. According to teammate Logan Gilbert, Raleigh may have already turned to baseball superstition in hopes of changing his luck. Gilbert suggested that Cal shower with his full uniform on a classic baseball-style attempt to snap a cold streak.

What makes this slump so shocking is where Raleigh stood just a season ago. The Seattle Mariners catcher was firmly in MVP conversations, with some even arguing he deserved the award over Aaron Judge because of his elite value behind the plate. Raleigh finished last year hitting .247 with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs, numbers that made him one of the most dangerous catchers in baseball.

So what’s gone wrong? Is this simply an ugly slump, pitchers adjusting, or genuine regression? At just 29 years old, it would be concerning if this is truly the beginning of a decline. Unfortunately for Raleigh, the advanced metrics don’t offer much optimism right now. According to Baseball Savant, while he still ranks in the 79th percentile in barrel rate and 81st percentile in bat speed, he sits below the 40th percentile in many major offensive categories, including an alarming 3rd percentile expected batting average at just .183.

It appears the superstition may already be paying off for Cal Raleigh. After showering in his full uniform following advice from Logan Gilbert, Raleigh finally broke out of his brutal slump by going 2-for-4 yesterday, snapping a hitless streak that dated back to April 28th.“Logan gave me some good advice to wash off the bad mojo or juju from the baseball gods,” Raleigh said. “So yeah, it worked. He was right, so I got to give him credit where credit’s due.”

Still, baseball is a sport built on streaks, both good and bad. Players can look completely lost one month and unstoppable the next. Maybe the numbers are right and this is simply who Raleigh is becoming, or maybe the fully clothed shower becomes the spark that finally gets one of baseball’s best power-hitting catchers going again.

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