Cal Raleigh's impressive 30th home run sets a record for switch hitters in the first half of the season.

Despite enduring a marathon game lasting three hours and nine minutes in sweltering 34.4°C heat behind the plate today, Cal Raleigh continued his hot streak of power hitting — hitting his 30th home run of the season in the ninth inning of a 10-7 loss to the Cubs, which also propels him to the top of more historical lists.

Raleigh surpassed Mickey Mantle, José Ramírez, and Lance Berkman to become the player with the most home runs among switch hitters before the All-Star break; he also surpassed Johnny Bench to become the player with the most home runs in this category as a starting catcher.

Raleigh is now tied with Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. as one of only two Mariners players to hit 30 or more home runs before the All-Star Game. Griffey achieved this feat three times: 35 in 1998, 33 in 1994, and 30 in 1997.

Raleigh is also the fastest player to reach 30 home runs before the team's 75th game since Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzalez in 2001. Only six players have accomplished this before: Babe Ruth (1921, 1928, 1930), Sammy Sosa (1998, 1999), Mark McGwire (1998), Griffey (1994), Reggie Jackson (1969), and Roger Maris (1961).

Players in Major League history who have hit 30 or more home runs in the first 75 games of a season:

2025 Cal Raleigh

2001 Barry Bonds

2001 Luis Gonzalez

1999 Sammy Sosa

1998 Mark McGwire

1998 Sammy Sosa

1994 Ken Griffey

1969 Reggie Jackson

1961 Roger Maris

1930 Babe Ruth

1928 Babe Ruth

1921 Babe Ruth

“Finishing the last at-bat in 95-degree weather,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said, “he’s a fighter.”

Combining his 34 home runs from 2024 and 30 from 2025, Raleigh joins Hall of Famers Mike Piazza (nine times), Bench (four times), and Roy Campanella as one of only three catchers in history with three or more seasons of 30+ home runs.

Additionally, Raleigh has hit three home runs in this weekend's series, tying with Jarred Kelenic for the most home runs in Mariners history at Wrigley Field. Due to the fact that the Seattle team had never played here before interleague play began in 1997, the sample size is clearly small. It wasn't until the 2023 schedule reform ensured that every team visits all ballparks every other year that the Mariners began to visit frequently.

“30 home runs is impressive,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said, “and we’re not even at the midpoint of the season. He’s outstanding.”

Today, Raleigh hit a opposite-field home run as a left-handed batter off reliever Daniel Palencia's 99.4 mph four-seam fastball. A day earlier, he hit two home runs as a right-handed batter, tying the record for catchers and switch hitters.

“Anytime you’re even mentioned in the same breath as some of the greatest players in history — even if you’re not the greatest — it’s obviously a special thing,” Raleigh said on Friday, “so I’m very grateful.”

Raleigh is projected to hit 65 home runs this season, which would break the single-season record for starting catchers (Salvador Perez's 48 in 2021) and switch hitters (Mantle's 54 in 1961). Only Bonds (73 in 2001), McGwire (70 in 1998, 65 in 1999), and Sosa (66 in 1998) have reached that number.