Mariners' Cal Raleigh joins elite company with latest milestone HR

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mariners' Cal Raleigh joins elite company with latest milestone HR

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated Sep 1, 2026 12:12 AM ET

Trying to end a disappointing season the right way, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has been hot as of late and has made more history on his career resume.

Raleigh homered in the seventh inning in Boston on Monday night. His solo shot was his 20th of the season. And while reaching 20 wasn't enough to help the Mariners get by the Red Sox, as they lost 9-8, it allowed him to join elite company.

Cal Raleigh joined elite company by reaching 20 HRs

A far cry from the 60 he hit last season, a single--season record for catchers, Raleigh became only the second catcher to post five years with at least 20 home runs within his first six campaigns.

The list of catchers to start a career with five out of six 20-plus-homer seasons is now Raleigh and Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza.

Raleigh has now blasted 20 or more home runs in five straight years after only slugging two in 47 games as a rookie in 2021.

Cal Raleigh is the second catcher in MLB history with 5 seasons of 20+ home runs in his first 6 career seasons, joining Mike Piazza

(Min 50% of games at C) https://t.co/Q6xN8NXdzT
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 1, 2026

Raleigh's 2026 has been a far cry from his monster 2025 season

But still a season removed from finishing as the runner-up for the American League MVP and crushing 60 homers to go along with 125 RBI and 110 runs scored, Raleigh only has 54 RBI, 35 runs and a pedestrian slash line of .171/.287/.359 in 368 at-bats through 104 games in 2026.

Overall, career-wise, Raleigh now owns 173 long balls, 430 RBI, 348 runs, 104 doubles, a .218 batting average, a .310 OBP and a .466 slugging percentage in 727 games in six seasons.

Raleigh's drastic dip in production has led to the Marines falling to 10 games under .500 as a team; granted, they are still hanging on and sitting six games back in the American League West.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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