M's Raleigh commits to Team USA for 2026 WBC

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has committed to playing for the United States successful the 2026 World Baseball Classic, it was announced Monday.

Raleigh has an American League-record 38 homers earlier the All-Star Game this play -- 1 shy of Barry Bonds' 2001 large league grounds for homers earlier the break. He besides joined Babe Ruth (1921), Reggie Jackson (1969) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1998) arsenic players with astatine slightest 38 homers and 10 stolen bases successful their team's archetypal 96 games.

The Mariners' slugger joins Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes arsenic players who person committed to Team USA frankincense far.

In summation to his 38 location runs, Raleigh has 82 RBIs and an 1.011 OPS successful conscionable 94 games this season. He's threatening to interruption Mickey Mantle's single-season location tally grounds for a switch-hitter (54) and Ken Griffey Jr.'s franchise single-season location tally grounds (56).

The squad volition beryllium managed by erstwhile large leaguer Mark DeRosa for the 2nd consecutive tournament. Team USA mislaid to Japan successful the title crippled successful 2023.

The World Baseball Classic volition tally March 5-17, 2026. Games volition instrumentality spot successful Houston, Miami, Tokyo and San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the semifinals and title crippled successful Miami.

The U.S. volition beryllium with Britain, Brazil, Italy and Mexico successful Group B of the archetypal circular astatine Houston's Minute Maid Park from March 6-11.

Team USA past won the World Baseball Classic successful 2017.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.