Cal Raleigh’s historic 2025 season has seen him attain the 50-home run mark, marking essentially the most homers in a season by a major catcher in MLB historical past. He has additionally change into the primary participant in MLB historical past to hit no less than 20 home runs from both sides of the plate in a single season.
He reached two extra historic milestones with a two-homer evening Tuesday in opposition to the Kansas City Royals.
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In the third inning, along with his fifty fifth blast of the 12 months, Raleigh broke Mickey Mantle’s MLB record for homers by a switch-hitter in a single season. Mantle set the record with 54 homers in 1961.
In the fourth inning, Raleigh hit home run No. 56 with a two-run shot to middle discipline. That one tied Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. for the franchise single-season record.
With Tuesday’s efficiency, Raleigh became the first player in MLB history with a multi-home run recreation in opposition to 10 totally different groups in the identical season.
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(*56*)How Raleigh acquired right here
The Mariners catcher’s street to home run historical past started on the ultimate day of March, along with his first dinger of the season, and he has continued the ability surge ever since. Raleigh has hit blasts in consecutive video games eight instances and recorded 10 multi-homer video games this season.
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Raleigh is threatening the American League record of 62 home runs set by New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge in 2022. “Big Dumper” has already tied Ken Griffey Jr.’s Mariners record of 56 home runs, which “The Kid” reached twice, in 1997 and ’98.
As Raleigh approaches extra historical past in his MVP-worthy season, we’re monitoring his notable 2025 home runs all through Game 162.
MARCH
Home runs hit: 1
March 31: Raleigh opened his 2025 home run account within the Mariners’ fifth recreation of the season, a 9-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers. His 358-foot blast got here six days after he signed a six-year, $105 million extension.
APRIL
Home runs hit: 9
April 11: The history-making began early for Raleigh. During the Mariners’ 14th recreation, he launched his third blast of the season off Texas Rangers pitcher Chris Martin and set the franchise record for profession home runs by a catcher along with his 96th.
MAY
Home runs hit: 12
May 2: Raleigh’s first grand slam of the season got here on a two-homer, five-RBI evening in a 13-1 rout of Jack Leiter and the Rangers.
May 27: Raleigh’s third multi-home-run recreation of the season put his complete as much as 19 on the 12 months and set an MLB record for home runs by a catcher in a group’s first 53 video games of a season. Both dingers got here in opposition to Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker.
May 30: Raleigh turned the primary catcher in MLB historical past with 20 home runs earlier than the tip of May with one other multi-blast evening that noticed him knock in 5 runs in a 12-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
JUNE
Home runs hit: 11
June 20: A prolific May continued into June for Raleigh, as he reached double-digit home runs once more and set the MLB record for homers by a catcher earlier than the All-Star break along with his twenty ninth of the season at Wrigley Field in opposition to the Chicago Cubs.
June 21: Still at Wrigley someday later, Raleigh hit No. 30 to become the first switch-hitter in MLB historical past to take action earlier than the All-Star break, transferring forward of of Mickey Mantle, José Ramírez and Lance Berkman. He additionally turned the primary participant to hit 30 home runs in his group’s first 75 video games since 2001, when Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzalez achieved that feat.
Cal Raleigh’s historic season with the Seattle Mariners has featured him successful the Home Run Derby and turning into the primary MLB participant to achieve 50 home runs. (Photo by Gene Wang, Capture At Media/Getty Images)
(Gene Wang – Capture At Media through Getty Images)
JULY
Home runs hit: 9
July 14: By the time the baseball world descended on Atlanta for the All-Star Game, Raleigh had 38 home runs. He introduced his energy to Georgia, the place he turned the primary catcher to win the Home Run Derby, edging Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero within the ultimate. Raleigh is the second Mariner to win the occasion, becoming a member of Griffey, who received the Derby thrice. Raleigh can be the primary switch-hitter to win the Derby outright, as Rubén Sierra, the one different switch-hitter to win, shared the title in 1998.
July 26: Nearly two weeks after Raleigh’s Derby win, he hit No. 40 to change into the seventh catcher in MLB historical past to publish a 40-homer season, becoming a member of Salvador Perez, Johnny Bench, Javy López, Todd Hundley, Roy Campanella and Mike Piazza. It was the 133rd blast of Raleigh’s profession, placing him forward of Ken Griffey Jr. for essentially the most by a Mariner in his first 5 MLB seasons.
AUGUST
Home runs hit: 8
Aug. 15: Homer No. 46 was launched throughout a win over the New York Mets that additionally noticed Raleigh attain 100 RBI on the season. That matched his profession excessive, set in 2024, and made Raleigh the first catcher since Mike Piazza in 1999 and 2000 with 100 RBI in consecutive seasons whereas taking part in no less than 50% of his video games behind the plate.
Aug. 24: An 11-4 win over the Athletics delivered yet one more multi-homer recreation from Raleigh — one which noticed him tie after which break the MLB record for home runs hit by a catcher in a single season when he hit Nos. 48 and 49 to leapfrog Salvador Perez.
Aug. 25: Raleigh reached 50 home runs before any other MLB player this season, getting there with a first-inning dinger throughout a win over the San Diego Padres. He is the one major catcher to ever hit 50 blasts in a single season.
September
Home runs hit: 6 (and counting)
Sept. 2: Raleigh hit his first homer of September in a 6-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen left a 96 mph fastball excessive and over the center of the plate, and Raleigh launched it into the right-field stands at Steinbrenner Field.
Sept. 14: After a one-week home run drought, Raleigh hit his 54th home run of the season to tie Mickey Mantle for essentially the most home runs by a switch-hitter in a single season.