PEORIA, Ariz. -- By now, virtually everyone following the sport has seen the clips, heard the player reactions -- and more so, had a take -- on the awkward exchange between Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena at the World Baseball Classic on Monday night.
The not-so-ideal part for the Mariners is that this will linger until Arozarena joins Raleigh in addressing it publicly.
And that might not happen for at least a few more days, as Arozarena hadn’t yet returned to Mariners camp in Arizona by Friday afternoon, after Team Mexico was eliminated.
Arozarena is expected to be back at the Peoria Sports Complex later this weekend or early next week, manager Dan Wilson said before Friday night’s Cactus League game vs. the Dodgers. Mexico teammate Andrés Muñoz was at the facility later on Friday afternoon.
The Mariners are in Tempe vs. the Angels on Saturday, at home vs. the Reds on Sunday then have their second and final off-day of Spring Training on Monday. It’s conceivable that Arozarena might not return until as late as Tuesday, but Wilson didn’t have an exact date.
“We're excited to get some of these guys back and get them back into camp and start to feel like we're whole again as a group,” Wilson said.
To be sure, Wilson said that he’s checked in with Arozarena and reported that conversations have been positive. But Arozarena hasn’t yet spoken publicly since an interview on Monday night with Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert in which he issued choice words toward Raleigh after the catcher declined to shake his hand in the batter’s box at the WBC.
Arozarena then declined to speak with reporters in Houston on Wednesday before Mexico’s final game at the Classic. But he shook virtually everyone’s hand on the sideline, media included, before batting practice.
Arozarena has, however, been active on social media, posting images to his Instagram story highlighting some of the fraternization among other teams at the WBC, notably between Team Dominican Republic and Team Venezuela, as well as an exchange between him and a Team Brazil infielder while on second base during Pool Play.
“These guys are pros, and I think the bottom line ... is just how much they love and the respect they have for each other,” Wilson said of Raleigh and Arozarena. “And that's what wins out.”
If Arozarena is back by Tuesday, that’d give him a full week’s worth of Cactus League games before the Mariners leave Arizona for good for Opening Day, which is on March 26 vs. the Guardians at T-Mobile Park.
While he’s been away, left field has featured a revolving door of opportunity for players like Brennen Davis (who’s crushed a team-best four spring homers), Rhylan Thomas (who represents upper Minors depth) and Michael Arroyo (their No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline).
Arroyo, who was also at the WBC for Team Colombia, played left field in Thursday’s loss to the Cubs, then was slated to be at second base on Friday vs. the Dodgers, but was scratched.
Once Arozarena returns, the two-time All-Star will likely play every day and with enhanced reps -- same for most position-player starters in the final week of Cactus games.
But the leading storyline in camp, at the very least until he addresses it, will be on his relationship with Raleigh, who moved quickly to quash any speculation by initiating a FaceTime with three Mariners beat reporters in the hours after the exchange went viral. Raleigh will certainly be asked about it again, too, though he’ll remain with Team USA at least through the weekend.
"I think people are making it out to be a bigger deal than it is," Raleigh said on that call. "But guys are proud to put on their country's uniform, and I'm proud to put on ‘USA.’ And like I said, I have a responsibility to my teammates and the country to be focused and locked in.
“There’s no harm or no bad blood. There's nothing behind it. It doesn't matter who's on the other side. It could be Team Mexico, the Czech Republic, Japan, the D.R. I'm out there to win, and I'm out there to play hard and be focused, and I have no blood, no beef with anyone."
At the end of the day, Arozarena outlining -- and clarifying -- his emotions to the clubhouse is far more important than a public statement. But until he speaks, it will be challenging for the club to fully press forward.
And ideally, a team with World Series aspirations can quiet the outside noise well before breaking camp for Opening Day.