Cal Lowry’s Struggles Continue with Mariners

Last season, Seattle Mariners’ catcher Cal Lowry enjoyed a dream run. Fast forward to this year, and it’s a completely different story.

Lowry’s tough 2026 season hit another snag on Thursday as the team placed him on the 10-day injured list due to a right oblique strain. He seemed to worsen an existing injury to his right side, requiring him to leave during the Mariners’ close 4-3 loss to the Houston Astros.

This follows a brief highlight in his otherwise challenging season. On Tuesday, he managed to break a staggering 0-for-38 slump with two singles in a 10-2 victory against the Astros, marking the longest hitless streak in major league history.

This injury marks the first time in his six-season career that Lowry is on the injured list. Earlier this season, he sat out three games from May 2 to May 4 with similar soreness in his side.

Reflecting on last season, Lowry had a remarkable .247 batting average, hitting 60 home runs and achieving 125 RBIs in 159 games. He even broke the record for the most home runs in a season by a catcher, previously held by Salvador Perez.

This year has been a stark contrast.

In 41 games this season, Lowry’s batting average has dipped to .161, accumulating just seven home runs and 18 RBIs. In fact, that average is among the lowest in the league—only Cedric Mullins from the Tampa Bay Rays has a worse average at .150.

To fill in for Lowry, the Mariners have called up catcher Johnny Pereda from Triple-A Tacoma. It seems like a challenging time for Lowry, and fans can only hope he finds his footing soon.