Ken Griffey Jr. finally has some company.
Before Monday night, Junior was the only player in Seattle Mariners history to hit 50 home runs in a season. Not anymore, because Cal Raleigh has entered the chat.
Raleigh blasted his 50th home run of the season batting from the right side in the first inning Monday night against the San Diego Padres. It was an absolute mammoth shot that’ll have Mariners fans talking for years.
HISTORIC.
Cal Raleigh joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only Mariners in team history to hit 50+ home runs in a season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/b2E9wYU7Uu
— ESPN (@espn) August 26, 2025
The blast extends Raleigh’s record for single-season home runs by a catcher. It also puts him one step closer to catching Mickey Mantle for the switch-hitter homer record of 54.
What makes this moment even more special? Griffey went past 50 in both 1997 and 1998. It took more than a quarter-century for someone else to join him on that exclusive list.
That’s not all Raleigh accomplished Monday night.
When Seattle takes on San Diego, the winner of the six-game season series earns the Vedder Trophy. Eddie Vedder had roots in both cities, and the winner gets a custom guitar made just for the competition.
Raleigh got to hoist that guitar after the Mariners secured a guaranteed win in the season series, thanks in part to his tone-setting and historic first-inning blast. Talk about perfect timing.
The way I see it, this is the kind of moment that defines a career. Raleigh’s not just chasing personal milestones – he’s rewriting Mariners history while helping his team win meaningful games down the stretch.
