As everyone who watched the World Baseball Classic knows, there was bit of a troubling incident between Seattle Mariners teammates Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh.
During Randy Arozarena’s first at-bat of the game for Team Mexico against Team USA, he walked up to the plate and began talking to Cal Raleigh before extending his hand for a handshake. The catcher refused to shake his Mariners teammate’s hand.
After the game, Randy Arozarena was asked about the incident, and he was not happy about it.
“The ‘good to see you’ he said to me, he can shove it up his a—,” Arozarena told the media in Spanish.
Arozarena also added that Raleigh could “f— off” and “go to hell.”
He did not appear to be joking.
A walk-off win brings everyone together
Monday night, the Seattle Mariners were tied with the New York Yankees in the 9th inning. Cal Raleigh stepped up to the plate and delivered a walk-off single for the dub.
During the post-win celebration, many of Raleigh’s teammates ran onto the field to congratulate him. Among those teammates was one Randy Arozarena, who slapped the catcher on the back and offered him a high-five. This time Raleigh reciprocated.
Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor had a very different reaction to the WBC snub
After all the controversy surrounding Cal Raleigh snubbing Randy Arozarena, Seattle Mariners and Team Canada first baseman Josh Naylor had to play Team USA in the WBC. When it was time for him to bat, Naylor held out his left hand looking for a fist bump from Raleigh. Again, Raleigh declined.
The difference in that situation was that Naylor knew ahead of time Raleigh was going to do that, and was just ribbing his pal.
“We all were joking, just trying to make light of the situation. I texted him before that I was going to do it and he said, ‘Please don’t,’” Naylor said after the game. “But me and Cal are really good friends. He’s an awesome teammate, honestly one of my favorite teammates I think I’ve ever had in my career. He’s such a leader, too.”