CLEVELAND — Big-league baseball was always the goal, sure. But Luke Raley figured that was a longshot.
When he was playing ball at nearby Lake Erie College, he studied special education and planned to pursue a career as a teacher or guidance counselor.
"Honestly, when I went to a small Division II school, I didn't see this as my future," the Seattle Mariners outfielder said Wednesday afternoon, standing outside the visitors' dugout at Progressive Field. "I knew there was a chance [to play in the majors] ... but I knew it wasn't great. So it's just been an adventure to get here. It's been a fun adventure, and I wouldn't trade it for the world."
What a homecoming it has been already for Raley, who hit a home run (right at his uncle in the left-field bleachers) and made a spectacular diving catch in the Mariners' victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night. He was also ejected from a game for the first time, after arguing a strike call in the ninth inning.
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"Luke Raley has an adventurous night every night," manager Scott Servais said. "Nothing surprises me [with him]."
The 29-year-old slugger grew up in Hinckley Township, Ohio, about a half-hour's drive south of Cleveland, and he had some 60 family and friends in attendance Tuesday, including his parents, Beth and Doug, who run a family tree farm.
Raley's wife, Katie, played volleyball at Cleveland State, and she had family and friends on hand too.
"It's a dream," Raley said. "It's not always how you would draw it up, but it's still the dream to be out here and show what you got."
At 6-feet-4 and 235 pounds, Raley is known for his unorthodox athleticism. He also had an unlikely path to the big leagues after getting drafted out of Lake Erie College by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh round in 2016.
He spent parts of six seasons in the minors and was traded four times — from the Dodgers to the Minnesota Twins; from the Twins back to the Dodgers; from the Dodgers to the Tampa Bay Rays; and, finally, from the Rays to the Mariners in January — before settling into a regular role this season.
He's endeared himself to teammates, coaches and Seattle fans with his hard-charging style.
Raley and Cal Raleigh have become close this season.
"Getting to know him over these last few months has been amazing," Raleigh said. "He's a guy I'd love to be a teammate with for the rest of my career."
Servais has often talked about the "football mentality" that Raley approaches the game with.
"I love the way he plays," Servais said. "He likes getting hit by pitches. If someone throws a pitch inside on him, he's like, 'I eat that for dinner.'"
Servais said Raley's personality has permeated the rest of the clubhouse too.
"You can never have enough of those guys," Servais said. "It's rubbing off, and guys love it. His personality is coming through."
Among Mariners regulars, Raley leads the team in slugging (.444) and OPS (.749) through his first 190 plate appearances. He's also tied for the major-league lead with five bunt singles.
He hit his eighth homer of the season Tuesday night, and initially he had no idea it was his uncle who dropped the ball in the front row atop the tall wall in left field at Progressive Field.
He didn't realize who it was until he was running back out to his position in left field and he heard his uncle and aunt, Scott and Laura Profitt, yelling at him from the front row.
Mariners outfielder Dominic Canzone is also from Northeast Ohio area — he bought his first home near Cleveland last offseason — and has his own cheering section this series. Canzone and Raley have also grown close in their first season playing together.
"It's cool to have Dom here and him coming home too," Raley said. "Everyone knows that we love Cleveland."
Note
The Guardians on Wednesday promoted former Mariners right-hander Darren McCaughan from Triple-A. McCaughan appeared in five games with the Mariners, with one start, in 2021 and 2023.
