By hitting two home runs on Sunday, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh broke the record for the most home runs by a catcher in a single season. Raleigh has now accumulated an MLB-leading 49 home runs on the season, breaking Royals catcher Salvador Perez's previous record of 48 home runs in 2021.
Cal Raleigh stands alone!
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 24, 2025
Big Dumper is the first catcher in @MLB history to reach 49 home runs in a single season. #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/jVllJypOGr
Raleigh's two-home run game additionally broke Ken Griffey Jr.'s Mariners franchise record for themost multi-home run games in a season, and Mickey Mantle's MLB record for most multi-home run games by a switch-hitter in a season, per Sarah Langs.
"It was a lot of fun," Raleigh said after the Mariners' 11-4 over the Athletics. "I guess I'll just remember tipping the cap to the crowd and everybody on their feet. It was really a cool moment."
Raleigh admitted that he initially felt hesitant to step back up on the field for his curtain call, but it turned out to be among the most memorable moments for him.
"I didn't know that would be a thing," Raleigh said. "They were kind of pushing me out there and I was like, 'I don't want to look dumb if I go out there.' It was really cool to see everyone up on their feet. Special moment, definitely will remember that."
Cal postgame: https://t.co/KdwrC5UFv6 pic.twitter.com/XB7xmRxXVX
— Adam Jude (@A_Jude) August 24, 2025
What made the moment even more special was that his record-breaking performance took place in front of the home crowd, who gave Raleigh a standing ovation and chanted "MVP" after hitting the historic home run.
"Obviously our fans are amazing and to do it here—to do it anywhere would be really special—but to do it here in front of the fans and to give them that, see the appreciation was a really cool moment, on top of a really good game," Raleigh said.
Though Raleigh was rather humble about his achievement, Mariners manager Dan Wilson did a better job quantifying how impressive Raleigh's feats have been this season.
"Unbelievable," Wilson said, via Aaron Levine of Fox 13 Seattle. "As much as I want to talk about his homers, I want to talk about his blocking even more. When you talk about Cal Raleigh, you talk about homers, but you talk about the job he does behind the plate even more."
From making his first MLB All-Star Game, winning the Home Run Derby, becoming a legitimate MVP candidate to now breaking MLB records, it's been a storybook season for the Big Dumper.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cal Raleigh Reacts to Breaking Single-Season HR Record By a Catcher.