Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, on the injured list since May 14 with a right oblique strain, is slated to return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles.
In an interview with the Seattle Times on Monday, Raleigh, last year's American League MVP runner-up, addressed his time away from the club, saying he had a "very productive" month as he prepares to re-enter a lineup that is now in first place in the AL West.
Raleigh took his first swings off a tee back on May 29 at the team's spring training complex in Arizona on his road to recovery.
"Obviously, getting healthy was No. 1. But taking a step back and understanding where I'm at, and understanding where the team is at, and watching from afar -- it's not what I wanted to do," he said. "But ultimately, it was a good time to reflect and see what I could do better, see where I can make some adjustments, both as a player and as a teammate."
When he was in the Mariners' lineup this season, Raleigh struggled. From April 28 to May 12, Raleigh went 0 for 38, the longest hitless streak in the majors this season, until breaking out with two singles in a 10-2 rout of Houston. In 41 games this season, Raleigh is hitting .161 with seven home runs, 18 RBIs, four doubles, 18 walks and 16 runs.
But things turned for Raleigh while on his Triple-A rehabilitation assignment with Tacoma. He hit .412 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in four games.
"It's definitely been exciting to be back in uniform and playing. That's the best part about it, is getting those nerves and those good butterfly feelings back again, which is awesome," he said. "Really excited and energetic to get going again."
After he was placed on the injured list, he acknowledged he had played through some pain on his right side.
"It has been a different kind of perspective," Raleigh said last month. "Realizing how much I miss it and how much I enjoy playing the game and being with the guys, it was very eye-opening and makes me never want to go back on the IL again."
As play began on Monday, the Mariners, at 37-36, were one game ahead of the Athletics and the Texas Rangers in the AL West. They were 16-13 with Raleigh out of the lineup.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
