Cal Raleigh Becomes First MLB Catcher to Hit 50 Home Runs

Cal Raleigh extended a transcendent season into historical territory on Monday night, becoming the first major league catcher to reach 50 home runs in a single season. The Seattle Mariners catcher hit a solo shot against the San Diego Padres in the bottom of the first at T-Mobile Park, driving the ball into the upper deck and giving Seattle an early 1-0 lead. The milestone came on pace with a remarkable power surge that has reshaped Raleigh’s career and elevated the Mariners’ postseason ambitions.

Raleigh’s 50th homer capped a year of record-setting power. He joined a small group of hitters to surpass 50 homers in a season while catching, a list led by legends such as Johnny Bench, Roy Campanella and Mike Piazza, and marked him as the first catcher ever to reach 50 in a season. The achievement came as part of a season in which Raleigh has repeatedly supplied impact at the plate from both sides of the split, carrying Seattle through a stretch when every at-bat mattered. Earlier in the year, Raleigh had already shown he could pace the lineup, topping 40 homers as a catcher and adding nine more as a designated hitter, underscoring his capacity to handle a demanding workload behind...