Cal Raleigh Joins Elite Club with 50 Home Runs

Seattle Mariners’ standout Cal Raleigh has achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming only the second switch-hitter to hit 50 home runs in a season, joining the legendary Mickey Mantle. This feat came during the team’s 9-6 win over the San Diego Padres at T-Mobile Park.

Raleigh’s 50th home run broke a scoreless tie in the first inning. Batting right-handed, he connected with a fastball from Padres starter JP Sears, sending it 419 feet into the second deck and giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead.

After the game, Raleigh expressed disbelief at his accomplishment, saying, “It doesn’t seem to be real. A 50 home run season is a bit crazy.” The 28-year-old’s achievement makes him the eighth player in MLB history to reach 50 home runs before August ends. He is also the second player on the Mariners this season to hit this mark, following in the footsteps of Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who did it twice in the late ’90s.

It’s worth noting that Raleigh’s home run was his third in just two games; he had hit two the previous day, breaking the Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez’s record of 48 home runs set in 2021.

Reflecting on his journey, Raleigh recalled how, as a teenager, he felt like a big deal after hitting five home runs in high school. “I thought I was a cool player,” he mentioned, perhaps still amazed at how much the game has changed for him since then.

This season, Raleigh has hit 30 home runs as a left-handed batter and 20 as a right-handed batter. He boasts impressive stats, including a batting average of .270, 107 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases across 129 games.

As Raleigh and the Mariners aim to keep their momentum going, they’ll face the Padres again in the second match of their three-game series.