The atmosphere at Wrigley Field on Saturday was ideal for home runs, with hot temperatures and a favorable wind. The Chicago Cubs managed to hit five home runs, defeating the Seattle Mariners 10-7. Notably, the Mariners had only one home run, hit by catcher Cal Raleigh.
This marked Raleigh’s 30th home run of the season out of 75 games played, fueling speculation that he might surpass 60 home runs this year while also setting numerous records:
- Raleigh already claimed the early-season record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break.
- He is the first player to reach the 30-home run milestone this season, ahead of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.
- This achievement marks Raleigh’s third 30-homer season, joining the ranks of Hall of Famers like Mike Piazza, Johnny Bench, and Roy Campanella.
- As the first switch-hitter to achieve this before the All-Star break, his accolades just keep growing.
- Finally, Raleigh is the first player since 2001 to hit 30 home runs in just 75 games, a feat last achieved by Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzalez.
The record for home runs by a catcher in a single season is 48, set by Salvador Perez in 2021, while the high mark for a switch hitter is 54, established by Mickey Mantle in 1961. Ken Griffey Jr. holds the Mariners’ record at 56 home runs in both 1997 and 1998, and the American League record is set at 62 by Judge in 2022, with the MLB record being 73, held by Bonds in 2001.
