Mariners' Cal Raleigh Using Custom-Designed Bat That Seattle NBA Fans Will Love

Tom Dierberger | Aug 16, 2024

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets at T-Mobile Park. / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh gained plenty of fans in the Pacific Northwest on Friday when he rolled up to MLB Players Weekend with a special custom-designed bat.

Raleigh will be debuting a bat this weekend that calls for the NBA to bring back the Seattle SuperSonics, the franchise that relocated to Oklahoma City ahead of the 2008–09 campaign.

"Bring 'em back," the bat reads, citing the motto the SuperSonics fan base that still remains in Seattle quips on social media.

Cal Raleigh has a ‘Bring ’em Back’ Sonics bat for Players Weekend, plus a Florida State one too. pic.twitter.com/OwxaLPWmwb

— Adam Jude (@A_Jude) August 16, 2024

Fans—specifically those with Seattle ties—loved it:

I know the Mariners don't have a captain ... but make Cal the captain. https://t.co/udINyf0fWk

— Tim Booth (@ByTimBooth) August 16, 2024

I can just hear the clanking of armor as Mariners fans assemble to go to war for Cal Raleigh. https://t.co/RWKmRY5BBB

— britt (@brittanyanne08_) August 16, 2024

man of the people https://t.co/KINB8rxm17

— Ty Dane Gonzalez (@TyDaneGonzalez) August 16, 2024

Mariner Cal Raleigh with a bat that hits it out of the park💚💛 https://t.co/L6fC7SA5fe

— Seattle Supersonics (@SeattleSonics) August 16, 2024

EXTEND CAL RALEIGH https://t.co/WS7MC438jV

— Julio Rodriguez Fan Club ⚾️ (@JRodFanClub) August 16, 2024

The SuperSonics entered the NBA in 1967 and won the '79 NBA Finals. They remained in Seattle under the ownership of Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz until he sold the franchise to Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett in 2006. The NBA approved a relocation from Seattle to Oklahoma City in '08.

Seattle and Las Vegas have long been the favorites to land an NBA expansion franchise as the league looks to eventually move to 32 teams in the future.

Raleigh, a third-round pick by Seattle in 2018, has played 426 games for the Mariners over the last four seasons and owns a career .216/.293/.446 slash line.