Cal Raleigh’s historic march continues to barrel full-steam ahead.
One day after breaking the major league single-season record for home runs by a catcher, the Seattle Mariners switch-hitting slugger belted his MLB-leading 50th homer in the first inning of Monday night’s game against the San Diego Padres.
Cal Raleigh’s MVP case about more than numbers – and gaining steam
Batting from the right side, Raleigh turned on a 3-2 fastball from left-hander JP Sears and uncorked another no-doubter, sending a 419-foot solo shot into the second deck in left field at T-Mobile Park.
With his latest blast, Raleigh joined Ken Griffey Jr. as the only players in Mariners history to reach 50 homers in a season. Griffey achieved the feat twice, hitting a franchise-record 56 homers in both 1997 and 1998.
Raleigh is just the 32nd different player in MLB history to reach the 50-homer mark, according to Stathead. The feat has now been done 51 times, including just 15 times since 2005.
More potential history is still on the horizon.
Raleigh is now just four homers away from matching the MLB single-season mark for a switch-hitter, which New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle set with 54 homers in 1961.
Raleigh also still has a chance at the all-time American League record, set by Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge with 62 homers in 2022.
The Mariners still have 30 games left to play after Monday night. Raleigh is currently on pace for 61.4 home runs.
Raleigh homered in each of his first two at-bats against the Athletics on Sunday, the latter of which broke Salvador Perez’s single-season catcher home run record. Both of those homers also came from the right side, including a majestic 448-foot shot into the left-field second deck in the first inning.
More on the Seattle Mariners
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• Cal Raleigh ties, then breaks MLB home run record for catchers
• Mariners’ next bullpen arm? Emerson Hancock touches 99 mph in relief
• Playoff Picture: Seattle Mariners hold serve with series win
• Seattle Mariners place Dylan Moore on unconditional release waivers
