Seattle Mariners All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh recently wrote another chapter in what has been quite the breakout season.
This rising star who last season recorded career bests of 34 home runs and 100 RBIs showed it was no fluke as he currently leads all of baseball with 36 home runs and sits second in RBIs with 76, one behind Chicago Cubs slugging outfielder Seiya Suzuki for the MLB lead.
Cal Raleigh’s 36th Home Run Sets Franchise Record
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Raleigh, in his fifth year and hitting .262, made Mariners franchise history when during a July 8th 10-3 loss against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, the 26-year-old slugging catcher broke a 25-year Mariners club record for home runs before the All-Star break which formally belonged to current baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey Jr., who was a true baseball legend in Seattle had the record of 35 home runs before the break which stood until Raleigh in the eighth inning off Yankee pitcher Geoff Hartlieb connected on a 1-1 count and hit that record-breaking number 36 home run to right field in the upper deck.
“I’m trying to get better, trying to improve myself,” Raleigh said. “You try to learn who you are as a hitter. It’s something I made a point to do from both sides of the plate. I try to be a better overall hitter. I try to take my hits when I get them. I’m not just trying to be a power guy.”
Back in spring training, chances are no one would have believed that with only one series remaining until the break that Raleigh would be two home runs ahead of Yankees superstar Aaron Judge in the AL home run race. Still, Raleigh does not exactly consider himself in the same class as Judge as an all-around ballplayer.
“He is a special player. Me being in that sentence. I’m just grateful to be in there. He is a really good one,” Raleigh said.
During that same game Raleigh set the record, Judge also went long in hitting a moon shoot for that 34th home run of the season.
The emergence of Raleigh is an incredible story given that the Florida State University product had to wait until the third round before finally getting drafted by the Mariners. He truly serves as an inspiration to those drafted in the later rounds that with hard work anything is possible.
Coming off back-to-back 30-plus home runs seasons the Mariners back on March 25th at spring training locked up Raleigh to a six-year $105 million dollar extension.
Not only did Raleigh break that long-standing Mariners home run record but he also accomplished a first and that was being named to his first MLB All-Star Game which this year is taking place on July 15th in Atlanta. Not only will he be playing but Raleigh will also be participating in this year’s All-Star Home Run Derby. Life can’t get much better for Raleigh in what has truly been a remarkable breakthrough season for this catcher.
Main Image: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
