Mariners' hitter Cal Raleigh inching towards Aaron Judge's home run record, following a double-homer performance
The Seattle Mariners find themselves in a thrilling race, currently half a game ahead of the Houston Astros in the AL West division. As the season reaches its climax, the focus shifts to one of their own – catcher Cal Raleigh.
Raleigh has already made history this season, setting the single-season home run record for a catcher and a switch-hitter. Now, he has his sights set on a more daunting target – breaking Aaron Judge's American League single-season home run record of 62, set in 2022.
With 56 home runs under his belt, Raleigh needs to hit 7 more in the Mariners' final 11 games to achieve this feat. However, his path is not straightforward. The Astros, who have issued the third-fewest intentional walks this year, may choose not to give Raleigh pitches to hit in crucial spots during their upcoming series.
Raleigh's ability to break Judge's record depends not only on his performance but also on whether he receives pitches to hit. In the past six games, he has walked eight times, including several intentional walks, and in the last ten games, he has walked 11 times.
The upcoming series against the Astros could potentially decide not only the outcome of the AL West race but also the wild card race. If teams continue to pitch around Raleigh in key situations, it will be more challenging for him to hit the seven home runs needed to break Judge's record.
If Raleigh succeeds, he would join a select group of players who have achieved 60-homer seasons in baseball history. He would also be the first catcher to hit over 60 home runs in a single season.
Moreover, the Mariners and New York Yankees, where Judge plays, could potentially meet in the Wild Card Series. If the season ended today, the Astros would go to Yankee Stadium for this series.
Raleigh's performance this season has been impressive. He has had two distinct 11-game stretches this season where he hit 7 and 9 home runs respectively. He also tied Ken Griffey Jr.'s franchise record for home runs in a season with his 55th and 56th home runs on Tuesday night, breaking Mickey Mantle's single-season record for home runs by a switch-hitter.
As the season draws to a close, Raleigh has the potential to have one of his best hot streaks of the season in the remaining games. However, he can only control his own performance. The Mariners and their fans will be eagerly watching as Raleigh attempts to break Judge’s AL home run record in the final games of the 2025 season.
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