Mariners’ Cal Raleigh Sets Single-season Record For Catcher With 49th Home Run

Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh deed his awesome league-leading 48th and 49th location runs connected Sunday against nan Athletics, mounting a single-season grounds for catchers and passing Salvador Perez’s full pinch nan Kansas City Royals successful 2021.

Raleigh’s record-breaking location tally besides marked his ninth multi-home tally crippled of nan season, passing Mickey Mantle (eight for nan 1961 New York Yankees) for astir multi-home tally games by a switch-hitter successful a play successful awesome convention history. The wide grounds is 11 multi-home tally games successful a season.

The switch-hitting Raleigh, batting from nan correct side, homered disconnected Athletics left-handed starter Jacob Lopez successful nan first inning to make it 2-0 and necktie Perez. Raleigh sewage a fastball down nan mediate from Lopez and sent it an estimated 448ft, according to Statcast. It was measured arsenic nan longest location tally of Raleigh’s profession arsenic a right-handed hitter.

In nan 2nd inning, Raleigh drilled a changeup from Lopez 412ft. The longballs were Nos 39 and 40 connected nan play for Raleigh while catching this year. He has 9 while serving arsenic a designated hitter. Perez deed 15 location runs arsenic a DH successful 2021, and 33 astatine catcher.

Only 4 different players successful large convention history person deed astatine slightest 40 homers successful a play while chiefly playing catcher: Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice). Bench, Campanella and Piazza are Hall of Famers.

Raleigh launched 27 homers successful 2022, past 30 successful 2023 and 34 past season. Should he proceed astatine his existent pace, Raleigh could go nan first American League catcher to lead nan awesome leagues outright successful location runs.

A first-time All-Star astatine property 28, Raleigh burst connected to nan nationalist segment when he won nan All-Star Home Run Derby successful July, conscionable 4 months removed from signing a six-year, $105m statement extension. He became nan first switch-hitter and first catcher to triumph nan title. He’s nan 2nd Mariners subordinate to return nan crown, aft three-time victor Ken Griffey Jr.