MLB managers that have already been fired and why the teams benefited
USA TODAY Sports’ Gabe Lacques discusses the managers who have already been fired in the MLB and why their teams were smart to pull the plug.
Sports Pulse
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh announced he will join Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.Raleigh leads the MLB in home runs and RBIs this season and joins other stars like Aaron Judge and Paul Skenes on the roster.Raleigh played college baseball at Florida State University before being drafted by the Mariners in 2018.
The World Baseball Classic gears up for another year of drama.
After a suspenseful finish in 2023 where Japan’s Shohei Ohtani struck out his then teammate Mike Trout to win the World Baseball Classic Championship, Team USA are building a team to win in spring 2026.
Cal Raleigh, former Florida State baseball star and current Seattle Mariners catcher, announced on Monday he would join the Team USA squad in 2026. Raleigh currently stands as the home run leader in the MLB and joins last years home run king, Aaron Judge, on Team USA. Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes and Kansas City Royals shortstop also committed to play for manager Mark DeRosa’s team next spring.
“It’s like every kid’s dream, right?” Raleigh said on MLB Network. “You got the USA across your chest; it’s like a dream getting to play for your country. What a special chance.”
Team USA is loading up for the World Baseball Classic next year 👀
Cal Raleigh will be the catcher for the United States in 2026 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/iQ5BB8RgzJ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 14, 2025
Raleigh, 28, Has 38 home runs and 82 RBIs at the All-Star break, leading the MLB in those statistical categories. He earned his first All-Star selection this season. Raleigh’s journey from North Carolina to Tallahassee to Seattle has prepared him to represent the USA on a grand stage.
Cal Raleigh time at Florida State
Raleigh committed to Florida State out of Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva, North Carolina. He immediately got game time in his freshman year playing catcher and batted .301 and .412 OPS with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs, earning himself a spot on the All-ACC freshman team.
He had a sophomore slump with his batting average dropping to .227 while having nine homeruns and 39 RBIs but Raleigh picked it back up in his junior season. He led FSU with a .326 batting average, notching 75 hits, 18 doubles, a triple and 13 home runs while starting all 62 games and helping his team achieve a 43-19 record.
His play at catcher and his 6-foot-2 235-pound frame attracted the Mariners and he was selected with the 90th pick in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft.