The post Carl Rowley denies Josh Naylor’s handshake marks second Mariners teammate catcher snubbed in WBC originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
The Seattle Mariners will enter 2026 with a World Series or bust mentality after falling just short of making the Fall Classic last season, and they’ll need all their stars to align to get there.
advertise
However, catcher Carl Rowley wasn’t ready to mingle with his Mariners teammates during the World Baseball Classic.
Rowley spurned an attempted handshake from teammate Randy Arozarena during the U.S.-Mexico game, and a few days later, Rowley declined Josh Naylor’s handshake during the U.S. quarterfinal game against Canada, though the interaction with Arozarena made some headlines.
Here’s a look at Rowley’s snub against Naylor, and how Arozarena reacted when he was on the wrong end of the floor.
World Baseball Classic Headquarters:Live scores | Updated standings | Full TV schedule
advertise
Why did Carl Rowley refuse to shake Josh Naylor’s hand?
Rowley appeared to rebuff Naylor’s attempted punches during Friday’s quarterfinal match.
Rowley’s refusal of a Mariners teammate’s attempt at a handshake seemed like just a sign of his competitiveness. While Arozarena and Naylor will be his teammates for at least the next six months, they are currently competing for different teams and under different banners.
However, Rowley decided to snub Naylor because he knew how Naylor’s interactions with Arozarena caused a stir.
“I hate that this is a thing. I really don’t think this is a big thing, a big story. It shouldn’t be a thing,” Rowley said after Arozarena’s reaction went viral. “I love Randy. I have a lot of respect for him and Team Mexico.”
advertise
Rowley still took the same approach when Naylor batted, meaning Julio Rodriguez could receive similar treatment when he bats for the Dominican Republic in the semi-finals.
More:Full score for Team USA’s victory over Team Canada
Carl Rowley-Randy Arozarena Handshake Controversy
Rowley snubbed Arozarena in what seemed more like a light-hearted moment between Mariners teammates than a serious rejection. However, when Arozarena made a profane comment, some fans began to wonder if there was actually a feud between the two.
“The other thing I would say to him, I would tell him the Cuban way. All he needs to do is go fuck himself. The Mexican way: He can go to hell,” Arozarena said. “In English, I’m going to say it to him in English. ‘Nice to meet you’ that he said to me? He could push it to his—”
advertise
It’s unclear if Arozarena was just paying back and trolling Raleigh, or if he was truly upset with his fellow Seattle star. Rowley later dismissed any suggestion there was a problem between him and Arozarena.
“It’s not a big deal at all. So we’re good friends and we’ll continue to be good friends and I think we’re just enjoying competing against each other right now,” he said.
Mariners head coach Dan Wilson also said he wasn’t concerned, telling reporters, “I don’t anticipate it being any issue.”
More: Has Team USA ever won the World Baseball Classic?
Carl Rowley WBC Statistics
|
game |
average voltage |
human Resources |
reserve bank of india |
H |
BB |
K |
|
3 |
.000 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
5 |
Rowley is 0-for-9 with five strikeouts in three World Baseball Classic games for Team USA, but he has walked four, scored four runs and scored one run.
advertise
The Americans added three hitters with 50 or more home runs in 2025, including Raleigh’s league-leading 60, but the Mariners star has yet to connect with any of them in the tournament. Fortunately for Rowley, Team USA stayed alive in the quarterfinals, giving him another chance to hit the ball.
