Cal Raleigh Takes Shot at Yankees’ Greatness From Mantle to Judge

Cal Raleigh isn’t just chasing Mickey Mantle anymore. He’s chasing Aaron Judge, too.

The Mariners’ catcher launched his 53rd home run in Sunday’s 18–2 rout of Atlanta, leaving him one shy of Mantle’s single-season record for a switch-hitter, set back in 1961. That mark has stood untouched for 64 years. Raleigh could tie him before the Mariners leave town tonight.

He’s already blown past Salvador Perez’s record for most home runs by a catcher in a season. Now he’s playing in Mantle’s shadow while pushing himself into the middle of the American League MVP debate.

The numbers tell the story.

Raleigh had 38 homers at the All-Star break — a pace matched only by names like Ruth, Bonds and Judge. He hasn’t cooled. With three weeks left, he projects to finish between 58 and 60, which would shatter the catcher record book and put Mantle behind him. It would be two shy of Judge's AL record. He leads the league in home runs and has cleared 110 RBI while catching nearly every day.

Oddsmakers have noticed.

Raleigh has climbed from longshot status in July to a legitimate contender, now sitting around +220 (roughly a 31 percent chance) to win MVP. Judge is still the favorite at –325 — about a 76 percent chance.

Judge’s case is as steady as it is strong.

He’s batting over .320, on pace for close to 55 homers and a career-high in total bases, carrying a Yankees lineup that’s leaned on him through injuries. His OPS and WAR keep him in front of Raleigh in most projections. But an elbow injury has slowed him and the gap has narrowed, and history has a way of swaying voters.

So it’s a two-man race now. Judge, the face of the Yankees, and Raleigh, the switch-hitting catcher who’s rewriting two record books at once. One swing ties Mantle. A couple of weeks could push him toward 60. And could tip the MVP race in his favor.