Raleigh Sets Catcher HR Record Before All-Star Break \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Cal Raleigh hit his 28th and 29th homers, breaking Johnny Bench’s pre-All-Star record. The Mariners catcher needed just 73 games to eclipse the 1970 benchmark. Seattle beat the Cubs 9-4 with six RBIs from Raleigh and Garver.
Quick Looks
- Cal Raleigh broke Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for most home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break.
- Raleigh hit his league-leading 28th and 29th home runs in Seattle’s 9-4 win over the Cubs.
- The record-breaking 29th homer came in the 7th inning off Caleb Thielbar.
- Raleigh achieved the milestone in just 73 games, compared to Bench’s 87.
- The 28-year-old finished with three hits, three RBIs, and his sixth multi-homer game of 2025.
- Mitch Garver added two homers and five RBIs as the Mariners’ designated hitter.
- Sammy Sosa made a nostalgic return to Wrigley Field during the game.
- Bench’s 1970 MVP season included 45 home runs and 148 RBIs for the Reds.
Deep Look
On a summer night in Chicago that was meant to honor the past, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh firmly etched his name into baseball’s present—and perhaps its future. With two home runs in a 9-4 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Raleigh didn’t just power his team to victory—he shattered a record that had stood untouched for more than half a century.
Raleigh’s 29th home run of the season, a seventh-inning missile into the left-field bleachers, broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for most home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break. Bench, long considered the gold standard for the position, hit 28 homers before the break in what would become an MVP-winning season. That benchmark has endured through eras of offensive explosions, juiced balls, and evolving catching responsibilities—until now.
What makes Raleigh’s achievement so remarkable is the speed at which he reached it. He needed just 73 games to eclipse Bench’s record, doing so with 22 games still left before this year’s Midsummer Classic. By comparison, Bench set the previous mark in 87 games. Raleigh’s accelerated pace isn’t just a footnote; it signals a seismic shift in how the catcher role is viewed—no longer primarily defensive, but dynamic on both sides of the plate.
“I’m just very grateful,” Raleigh said postgame, visibly emotional. “To even be mentioned in the same sentence as Johnny Bench is surreal.”
Friday’s performance wasn’t just a personal milestone. It showcased the Mariners’ emerging offensive identity. Raleigh, now widely viewed as the team’s clubhouse cornerstone, tallied three hits and three RBIs, pushing his season total to 63. His sixth multi-homer game of the year adds to a resume that is building toward All-Star starter status and possibly even MVP consideration.
He didn’t carry the load alone. Fellow catcher-turned-DH Mitch Garver launched two home runs and drove in five RBIs, making the Mariners’ backstop duo the most productive in baseball on the night. Their combined line—four home runs, eight RBIs—dwarfed the output from a Cubs team that entered the night leading the NL Central.
The moment was made more poignant by the backdrop: the emotional return of Cubs legend Sammy Sosa to Wrigley Field after more than 20 years away. Though Sosa received a hero’s welcome from the fans who once idolized him, the spotlight quickly shifted to Raleigh and Garver as they turned the contest into a showcase of modern power hitting.
Beyond the scoreboard, Raleigh’s record invites a deeper conversation about how MLB is redefining the catcher position. Traditionally, catchers were seen as defensive anchors—valued for their pitch-calling, game management, and durability more than their offensive prowess. That paradigm has shifted. Raleigh, along with peers like Will Smith, Adley Rutschman, and J.T. Realmuto, is part of a new generation of backstops who not only manage pitching staffs but serve as lineup centerpieces.
Raleigh’s power isn’t streaky. His home run chart shows equal damage to all fields, and he’s improved his plate discipline, cutting down on strikeouts while increasing his walk rate. His framing and throwing skills remain sharp, making him a rare true dual-threat behind the dish.
As far as historical comparisons go, Raleigh’s numbers stack up favorably—even beyond Bench’s 1970 season. That year, Bench hit 45 homers and tallied 148 RBIs while leading the Reds to the World Series. Raleigh, with 29 home runs before the break, is now projected to reach or surpass 55 homers if he stays healthy—a number that would obliterate the single-season home run record for a catcher (set by Bench) and place him in MVP contention.
The buzz around Raleigh has energized Seattle’s fan base, which has been hungry for a new icon since the Ichiro years. With the Mariners in the hunt for a postseason berth, his offensive output could be the difference-maker in a tightly packed American League.
Friday’s game also added fuel to debates around All-Star selections, with many now arguing Raleigh has earned the starting nod for the American League. While national attention often skews toward East Coast players or traditional franchises, Raleigh’s consistent excellence is demanding recognition.
If the All-Star break is the symbolic halfway point of the season, Cal Raleigh is already in the conversation not just for league-wide accolades but for a transformative place in Mariners history. His blend of raw power, leadership, and baseball IQ is elevating him beyond mere stardom—and into the territory of franchise legend.
As fans look ahead to the second half of the season, the question isn’t just how many home runs Raleigh will finish with—it’s whether he’s ushering in a new era of elite, offensive-minded catchers who can anchor teams in every way. In that sense, he’s not just following in Johnny Bench’s footsteps—he’s forging his own path.
Raleigh Sets Catcher Raleigh Sets Catcher
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