In the annals of baseball, Cal Raleigh’s 2025 campaign stands as a remarkable chapter, with him achieving the extraordinary feat of smashing 50 home runs, establishing a new benchmark for single-season homers by a catcher who primarily plays that position. Furthermore, he has carved his name into the record books as the first MLB player to launch at least 20 home runs from both sides of the plate in a single year.
In a Tuesday night contest against the Kansas City Royals, Raleigh added two more significant milestones to his already illustrious season.
In the third inning, Raleigh connected for his 55th long ball of the year, surpassing Mickey Mantle’s previous MLB record for the most home runs in a single season by a switch-hitter. Mantle had set the bar at 54 home runs back in 1961.
Then, in the fourth inning, Raleigh delivered a two-run shot that soared into center field, marking his 56th home run of the season. This achievement tied him with Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. for the most home runs in a single season by a Mariners player.
Following his performance on Tuesday, Raleigh became the first player in MLB history to record a multi-home run game against 10 different teams within the same season.
[Delve deeper into Seattle news: Mariners team feed]
The Pathway to Raleigh’s Accomplishments
The Mariners’ backstop began his ascent into home run history on the very last day of March, when he belted his first homer of the season, setting the stage for his power-packed performance throughout the year. Notably, Raleigh has gone yard in consecutive games on eight separate occasions and has tallied 10 multi-homer games this season.
Raleigh is now within striking distance of the American League record of 62 home runs, a mark set by New York Yankees power hitter Aaron Judge in 2022. The moniker “Big Dumper” has now matched Ken Griffey Jr.’s Mariners record of 56 home runs, an accomplishment “The Kid” achieved twice, in 1997 and ’98.
As Raleigh continues to chase history during what is becoming an MVP-caliber season, we will continue to monitor his notable 2025 home runs until the very last game of the season.
MARCH
Home runs hit: 1
March 31: Raleigh initiated his 2025 home run tally in the Mariners’ fifth game of the season, although they fell to the Detroit Tigers with a score of 9-6. His 358-foot shot came on the heels of his six-year, $105 million contract extension.
APRIL
Home runs hit: 9
April 11: Raleigh’s record-setting journey began early. During the Mariners’ 14th game, he blasted his third homer of the season off Texas Rangers pitcher Chris Martin, setting a new franchise record for career home runs by a catcher, with his 96th.
MAY
Home runs hit: 12
May 2: Raleigh’s first grand slam of the season occurred during a two-homer, five-RBI night, contributing to a decisive 13-1 victory over Jack Leiter and the Rangers.
May 27: Raleigh’s third multi-home-run game of the season brought his total to 19 for the year and set an MLB record for home runs by a catcher in a team’s first 53 games of a season. Both of these dingers were delivered against Washington Nationals pitcher Mitchell Parker.
May 30: Raleigh achieved a milestone by becoming the first catcher in MLB history to reach 20 home runs before the end of May, thanks to another multi-blast night that resulted in him driving in five runs in a 12-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
JUNE
Home runs hit: 11
June 20: Raleigh’s outstanding performance from May continued into June, as he once again achieved double-digit home runs, setting an MLB record for the most home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, with his 29th of the season at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs.
June 21: Staying at Wrigley Field for another day, Raleigh hit his 30th home run, making him the first switch-hitter in MLB history to reach this mark before the All-Star break. He surpassed Mickey Mantle, José Ramírez, and Lance Berkman. Additionally, he became the first player since 2001, when Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzalez accomplished the feat, to hit 30 home runs in his team’s first 75 games.
Cal Raleigh’s historic season with the Seattle Mariners has featured him winning the Home Run Derby and becoming the first MLB player to reach 50 home runs. (Photo by Gene Wang, Capture At Media/Getty Images)
(Gene Wang – Capture At Media via Getty Images)
JULY
Home runs hit: 9
July 14: As the baseball world converged on Atlanta for the All-Star Game, Raleigh had already amassed an impressive 38 home runs. He carried his power to Georgia, where he became the first catcher to win the Home Run Derby, narrowly defeating Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero in the final round. Raleigh became the second Mariner to achieve this feat, following in the footsteps of Griffey, who had won the Derby three times. Additionally, Raleigh is the first switch-hitter to win the Derby outright, as Rubén Sierra, the only other switch-hitter to win, shared the title in 1998.
July 26: Nearly two weeks following Raleigh’s Derby victory, he recorded his 40th home run, joining an elite group of catchers in MLB history to have a 40-homer season, including Salvador Perez, Johnny Bench, Javy López, Todd Hundley, Roy Campanella, and Mike Piazza. This marked the 133rd home run of Raleigh’s career, surpassing Ken Griffey Jr. for the most home runs by a Mariner in his first five MLB seasons.
AUGUST
Home runs hit: 8
Aug. 15: Home run No. 46 was launched during a victory over the New York Mets, a game that also saw Raleigh reach 100 RBI for the season. This achievement equaled his career high, set in 2024, and made Raleigh the first catcher since Mike Piazza in 1999 and 2000 to record 100 RBI in consecutive seasons while playing at least 50% of his games behind the plate.
Aug. 24: A resounding 11-4 win over the Athletics showcased yet another multi-homer game from Raleigh, one in which he matched and then surpassed the MLB record for home runs hit by a catcher in a single season. His 48th and 49th home runs allowed him to overtake Salvador Perez.
Aug. 25: Raleigh reached the 50-home run mark before any other MLB player this season, achieving this milestone with a first-inning dinger during a victory over the San Diego Padres. He is the only primary catcher in baseball history to hit 50 home runs in a single season.
September
Home runs hit: 6 (and counting)
Sept. 2: Raleigh hit his first homer of September in a 6-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen threw a 96 mph fastball high and over the middle of the plate, and Raleigh sent it soaring into the right-field stands at Steinbrenner Field.
Sept. 14: After a one-week home run drought, Raleigh hit his 54th home run of the season to tie Mickey Mantle for the most home runs by a switch-hitter in a single season.
