Raleigh Downplays Arozarena Handshake Incident: “All Good”

PEORIA, Arizona – A seemingly minor gesture, or perhaps something more, has turn into a talking point at the World Baseball Classic. During Monday’s game between the United States and Mexico, U.S. Catcher Cal Raleigh declined a handshake from Mexico’s Randy Arozarena as the latter approached the plate. The incident, occurring in the Daikin Park in Houston, has sparked discussion and a pointed response from Arozarena.

The exchange took place during Arozarena’s first at-bat. Instead of reciprocating the customary pre-pitch handshake, Raleigh appeared to ignore Arozarena’s extended hand, exchanging words with the Mexican outfielder before the pitch. The moment quickly circulated on social media, prompting questions about the underlying cause.

Adding fuel to the fire, Arozarena offered a strong rebuke following the game, speaking to Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert. He questioned Raleigh’s upbringing, stating, “Lo primero que tiene que hacer es darle gracias a Dios de que tiene papás muy educados,” – roughly translated as “The first thing he should do is thank God he has educated parents.” Arozarena explained that he had recently encountered Raleigh’s parents at the team hotel and they had greeted him warmly.

Raleigh, when questioned about the incident on Tuesday, downplayed any animosity. “There’s no problem,” he told reporters. “I love Randy. Like I said, when we’re back in Seattle, he’s my brother. He’s family… I have a responsibility to my teammates and to the country to be focused and locked in. And like I said, no harm, no foul. There’s nothing behind this. Doesn’t matter who’s on the other side.”

He continued, expressing frustration with the attention the incident has received. “I hate that this has become a thing. I really don’t think it’s a substantial deal, a big story. It shouldn’t be a story. I love Randy. I have all the respect for him and for Team Mexico… Emotions are high. There’s no problem here. Like I said, for me, there’s no story. I’m not taking it as anything big, and I don’t think he is either.”

The situation prompted a conversation between Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson and his players. “These guys are incredible athletes since of their competitiveness, and that’s what It’s,” Wilson said. “And that’s how they’ve gotten to where they are. But I also know that our team loves each other, and one of the key ingredients we have in that clubhouse is how much they care about each other. So I don’t anticipate this being a problem.”

Wilson admitted he hadn’t seen the video of the interaction until it went viral, but planned to speak with both players. “The competitiveness is competitiveness,” he explained. “It doesn’t matter. Sometimes it’s a playground game, whatever. These guys are competitive. But, like I said, I think the affection they have for each other is going to prevail.”

Several Mariners players in Peoria acknowledged seeing the video but declined to comment publicly. “I’m not going to receive into that,” one player said. Another jokingly asked, “Any big news coming out of camp today?”

The gesture itself isn’t entirely uncommon. Receptions at home plate can be tense, and catchers sometimes avoid contact with opposing batters to avoid any potential substance transfer that could be interpreted as illegal. Robbie Perkins, the Australian catcher, similarly declined a handshake from a Czech batter last week, also drawing attention online.

Though, U.S. Manager Mark DeRosa indicated that avoiding interaction with opposing players wasn’t a team-wide directive. “No. To be honest, when it happened, we were on the bench like, ‘Uh, okay,’” DeRosa said in an interview with MLB Network. “And they’re teammates! I think Cal told him before the game, or in the days leading up, ‘I’m not going to hug you. I’m not going to show you any love. We’re going to compete.’”

The United States team will look to continue their strong showing in the Group B stage, facing Italy on Tuesday night. Mexico, following their loss to the U.S., will play Italy on Wednesday in a crucial game for advancement. The incident between Raleigh and Arozarena, while seemingly small, adds another layer of intrigue to an already compelling tournament.