Cal Raleigh isn’t just playing baseball right now; he’s rewriting the script of what we thought a catcher could do at the plate, breaking home run records. If you blinked this weekend, you missed history. Twice. And not some random trivia footnote, either. We’re talking record books, Mount Rushmore stuff, and names like Johnny Bench, Barry Bonds, and Ken Griffey Jr. getting called into the conversation because of this Mariners slugger.
Just one day after Raleigh launched a pair of bombs to break Johnny Bench’s record for most home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break—a record, by the way, that’s stood for decades—he decided that wasn’t quite enough. So, on Saturday, at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, at the top of the ninth, he took a 99-MPH heater from Daniel Palencia and turned it into a souvenir, depositing it over the wall in left-center.
Making Home Run History Before the Break
That swing, that moment, that baseball now circling Earth in low orbit, that was home run number 30 for Raleigh. And with it came more history.
He became the first player in the majors this year to reach 30 homers. But that’s just the surface. He’s also now the first catcher in MLB history—and the first switch-hitter—to hit 30 dingers before the All-Star break. That’s not just impressive; that’s seismic.
Fastest Since the Steroid Era Giants
How fast is he doing this? According to MLB, only Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzalez, in their legendary 2001 seasons, reached 30 faster. Yes, that Barry Bonds. That season. Raleigh’s pace is tracking toward 64 bombs, which would break Aaron Judge’s AL record of 62 from just two seasons ago. Not to mention the all-time mark for catchers—48—set by Salvador Perez in 2021. You could say Raleigh is blowing past expectations, but that would be like saying Mt. Rainier is just a tall hill.
Mariners Company: Griffey and Raleigh
And let’s not forget the hometown angle here. In Mariners history, only one other player—Ken Griffey Jr.—has hit 30 home runs before the break. That’s sacred territory in Seattle. That’s baseball royalty.
So, is it a surprise that Cal Raleigh is leading the All-Star vote among AL catchers? Not at all. The guy’s not just having a career year—he’s having a year that could live in baseball folklore. Get ready. If this pace holds, we’re not just watching an All-Star. We’re watching history take shape, one thunderous swing at a time.
