Cal Raleigh surpasses Griffey to become Mariners' single-season home run king

Ryan Divish, The Seattle Times on Sep 20, 2025

Published in Baseball

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HOUSTON — The player who saved baseball in Seattle with his generational talent and electric charisma, making it cool to wear your hat backward has been surpassed in the Mariners’ record books by a player, who hit one of the most memorable homers in franchise history and is committed to pushing the franchise to levels of success it has never experienced all while making catching cool.

Move over, Junior. The Big Dumper has moved to the top of the list.

Cal Raleigh’s magical season of hitting home runs and breaking records continued on Saturday evening at Daikin Park.

Facing Astros lefty Framber Valdez with one out in the third inning, Raleigh, who was batting right-handed, took advantage of an 0-2 sinker left up in the strike zone, sending an opposite-field line drive over the wall in right-center for a solo homer.

Raleigh’s 57th homer this season breaks the franchise record for most home runs in a single season. The previous record of 56 was set by Ken Griffey Jr. twice in the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

Raleigh has downplayed his individual success this season, preferring to talk about the team’s quest to win the American League West. With his record-setting homer coming against the Astros in the biggest series of the season, makes it that much more fitting for Raleigh. It gave the Mariners a 3-0 lead in the game.

What’s next for Raleigh? With 10 games remaining, he can reach the round number of 60 homers and Aaron Judge’s American League record of 62 homers in the season.

Besides setting the Mariners franchise record for homers, Raleigh’s 55th homer broke Mickey Mantle’s record for most homers in a season by a switch hitter set in 1961. His 49th homer broke the record for most by a catcher in one season, previously held Salvador Perez. He also broke the record of most homers in a season while playing catcher 43. He also became the first switch hitter to hit 20-plus homers from each side of the plate.

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