Cal Raleigh continued his incredible season on Monday night, blasting his 32nd home run in the ninth inning to help the Seattle Mariners defeat the Minnesota Twins 11-2. His latest homer came off reliever Joey Wentz, who left a high changeup over the plate. Raleigh didn’t miss. The ball sailed over the left field fence for a two-run shot.
Raleigh’s power at the plate has made him one of the most feared hitters in Major League Baseball this season. The 28-year-old catcher is on a tear. He has now homered in four straight games. Over his last 30 games, he’s hitting .331 with 17 home runs and 36 RBIs. His season batting average now stands at .278 with 68 RBIs and a 1.048 OPS.
Just last week, Raleigh was named American League Player of the Week. He batted .417 with five homers and 12 RBIs over six games. A big part of that production came during a series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, where he crushed four home runs in three games. The Mariners won two of those games.
Monday’s home run continued his red-hot streak and added to his growing list of achievements this season. Raleigh signed a six-year, $105 million deal with the Mariners earlier this year. Now, he is proving every dollar is worth it.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson praised his star catcher after the game. He said Raleigh is seeing the ball well and staying aggressive when pitchers make mistakes.
“He’s just in a really good spot,” Wilson said. “He’s getting good pitches, and when he gets them, he doesn’t miss.”
That has certainly been true lately. Not only is Raleigh hitting the ball far, but he’s also hitting it hard. According to Wilson, his solid contact is making a big difference.
“He’s found a lot of barrels,” said Wilson. “And when you’re hitting over .270 with that kind of power, you’re putting together a lot of quality at-bats.”
Raleigh is now just three home runs away from tying Ken Griffey Jr. for the most home runs before the All-Star break in Mariners history. That mark is within reach if he continues at his current pace.
Even his teammates are in awe. Starting pitcher Bryan Woo had a strong night of his own, striking out nine batters over six innings. He has now pitched at least six innings in all 15 of his starts this season and holds a 3.12 ERA. But even Woo admitted he wouldn’t want to face Raleigh right now.
“I’d put up four fingers and let him take first base,” Woo joked. “Yeah, I’m not pitching to him.”
The Mariners’ offense exploded in Monday’s game, but Raleigh’s bat once again led the way. With each game, he’s proving to be one of the top sluggers in the league. His ability to hit for both power and average gives Seattle a strong edge in the playoff race.
With the All-Star break approaching, all eyes will be on Raleigh to see if he can reach and even surpass Griffey Jr.’s record. For now, though, the Mariners are just enjoying the ride—and the wins that come with it.
