Seattle Mariners backstop Cal Raleigh made historical past on Sunday, setting the single-season dwelling run file for main catchers by hitting his forty eighth and forty ninth lengthy balls of the 12 months. It did not take lengthy for Raleigh to realize one other entry within the file e-book on Monday, as he delivered his fiftieth dwelling run of the 12 months within the first inning in opposition to the San Diego Padres (GameTracker). Within the course of, he grew to become the primary catcher to ever clear that threshold on the big-league degree.
This is a take a look at the house run, which got here off Padres left-hander JP Sears:
Moreover, this is a take a look at 50-homer seasons by place, per CBS Sports activities’ analysis group:
- 1B: 15
- CF: 12
- RF: 10
- LF: 8
- SS: 2
- DH: 2
- C: 1 (Raleigh)
- 3B: 1
- 2B: 0
Raleigh, 28, entered Monday hitting .247/.353/.593 (167 OPS+) with the aforementioned 49 dwelling runs, 106 runs batted in, and 14 stolen bases. His contributions had been value an estimated 5.7 Wins Above Alternative, based on Baseball Reference. But Raleigh additionally grades as an elite framer, suggesting that his true worth is even larger than that quantity signifies. (FanGraphs’ WAR mannequin, inclusive of framing, estimates he is been value 7.3 wins.)
Raleigh has extra historical past inside his grasp. He is now 4 dwelling runs away from tying Mickey Mantle for essentially the most ever launched by a switch-hitter in a single season (54). Likewise, Raleigh is now six dwelling runs away from tying Ken Griffey Jr.’s single-season franchise file. Griffey homered 56 occasions again in every of the 1997 and 1998 campaigns.
The Mariners could have 30 video games remaining after Monday’s contest, giving Raleigh an ample runway to proceed to rewrite the file books in his personal picture.
