The Seattle Mariners are celebrating their first AL West crown since 2001, but superstar catcher Cal Raleigh is already thinking about the next wave of change heading to baseball. Major League Baseball will roll out robot umpires in 2026 through the Automated Ball-Strike System, a decision Raleigh believes takes away from the art of catching and the human element of the game. The switch-hitting catcher's stance puts him at the center of a growing conversation about evolving MLB rules.
In a story written by The Seattle Times’ Tim Booth for The Spokesman.com, Raleigh voiced his concerns about the change.
“I’m not a fan of it. I’ve said it before, just some parts of the game I think you don’t mess with, but it is what it is,” Raleigh said. “I get it from the fans’ sake and bringing that excitement to it. I understand it from the fan perspective them wanting to implement that.”
Raleigh’s comments come during a historic 2025 season in which he has powered the Mariners with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs. His defense has been just as important, making him a Platinum Glove winner heading into the final game of the regular season against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Raleigh believes the new strike zone system with robot umpires diminishes the value of pitch framing, a skill that has long given catchers hidden importance on the field.
The Automated Ball-Strike System has been tested since 2019, including spring training and the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. While the technology aims to improve accuracy, Raleigh and other defensive-minded players feel it undermines the relationship between pitchers, catchers, and umpires.
The debate has intensified as MLB prepares to finalize new rules. Some players welcome the system’s fairness, but the 28-year-old backstop and other catchers warn it could erase baseball’s human balance and strategy.
For the Mariners, who will open the ALDS at T-Mobile Park on October 4, Raleigh’s perspective underscores the tension between technology and tradition. As baseball moves forward, one of the league’s top catchers has made it clear he would rather keep the game in human hands.
