Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is in the midst of a historic slump that has fans and analysts alike holding their breath. With 36 consecutive hitless at-bats, the slugger is now just 18 outs away from matching one of baseball's most unwanted records: Chris Davis' all-time non-pitcher hitless streak of 54 at-bats, set during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Raleigh's recent struggles are stark when you look at the numbers. Over his last 40 plate appearances, he has managed just one line drive out. This is a player who crushed 151 home runs over the previous four seasons, including 60 in 2025 alone. Now, his bat has gone cold at the worst possible time.

The slump has been so severe that Raleigh has become the first player in MLB history to go 10 games without a hit while striking out at least 15 times. It's not just a dry spell—it's a complete breakdown in competitiveness at the plate.

For context, Chris Davis' infamous 0-for-54 drought stretched across the end of the 2018 season and the start of 2019. When Davis finally broke the streak with a single off Boston's Rick Porcello at Fenway Park, he sarcastically called for the ball and clapped his hands in mock celebration. Davis finished his career hitting just .168 in 2018 and .179 in 2019 before retiring after a .115 campaign in 2020.

Raleigh's struggles have sparked plenty of theories. Some point to a lingering tension from the World Baseball Classic, when he reportedly refused to shake hands with teammate Randy Arozarena. Others look at the underlying metrics: his average exit velocity has dropped from 91.3 mph last season to just 86.9 mph this year, while his hard-hit rate has plummeted from 49.6 percent to 28.7 percent.

Entering Tuesday's game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park, Raleigh's line stood at seven home runs, 18 RBIs, and 54 strikeouts in 153 at-bats. Whatever the cause, the "Chris Davis Countdown" is officially on, and all eyes in Seattle are watching to see if Raleigh can snap out of it before making unwanted history.