The Seattle Mariners didn't need someone to back up Cal Raleigh as recently as Saturday morning, when Harry Ford seemed to have a strong grip on the job. But now that Ford is a Washington National via a stunning trade, that job doesn't seem to belong to anyone.
With Ford out of the picture, the Mariners don't have any catchers not named Raleigh on their 40-man roster. Nick Raposo is probably their best in-house option to be added to the 40-man, but he's a 27-year-old who has yet to play in the majors.
Free agency is therefore Seattle's best option to find someone to be Raleigh's backup, but the ongoing pursuit of Jorge Polanco complicates things.