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Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh makes MLB history with league-leading 29th home run

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh rounds the bases after a home run against the Chicago Cubs (2025)
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh rounds the bases after a home run against the Chicago Cubs (2025)Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images/AFP
Seattle Mariners star catcher Cal Raleigh smacked his 28th and 29th home runs during Friday's matchup against the Chicago Cubs - marking the most ever by a catcher before the All-Star break.

He surpasses legendary Cincinnati Reds catcher and Hall of Famer Johnny Bench.

Raleigh has been denied four home runs this season due to the wind, meaning he could've been at 33 home runs right now, according to Statcast.

His 29 currently leads the entire league with New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge in second with 26. 

Raleigh is now also tied with New York Mets power hitter Pete Alonso for the league lead in RBI with 63.

To put into perspective how incredible a season Raleigh is having, in 2024, he posted a career-high 34 home runs and 100 RBI - the former of which he could definitely surpass at the season's halfway mark. 

The five-year veteran made his debut with the Mariners in 2021, playing 47 games, before making a huge impact in the seasons to follow, during which he averaged 30 home runs and 80 RBI. 

However, the standout stat for Raleigh this season is his slashline. In the previous three years, Raleigh never reached a batting average above .235, an on-base percentage over .315, and a slugging percentage over .500. 

But this season, Raleigh is slashing a career-best .273/.379/.646, making his 1.025 OPS the second-best in the MLB behind Judge and just one of three players in all of baseball with an OPS over 1.000 - the third being Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani (1.008). 

And it all comes after signing a massive six-year, $105 million extension with the Mariners back in March of this year.

The Mariners beat the Cubs on Friday, 9-4, as they improved their record to 38-36 on the season and currently stand in second place in the American League West division.