Cal Raleigh Shatters Legendary Johnny Bench’s Catcher Home Run Record—What’s Next for This Powerhouse?

CHICAGO — What a night it was at Wrigley Field! Cal Raleigh didn’t just knock a couple of homers; he blasted Johnny Bench’s nearly half-century old record right out of the park. Before the All-Star break had even rolled around, Raleigh smacked his 28th and 29th home runs of the season, catapulting the Seattle Mariners to a solid 9-4 win over the Cubs. Watching a young catcher topple a Hall of Famer’s benchmark with games to spare brings a rush of excitement—especially when that Hall of Famer is none other than Bench, whose 1970 record stood tall for decades.

Raleigh’s seventh-inning blast off Caleb Thielbar not only gave Seattle the lead but rewrote the history books, requiring a mere 73 games to dethrone a mark Bench held after 87 games. When I think about this feat, it’s not just a number on a stat sheet—it’s a testament to resilience, talent, and the sweet sound of a ball screaming into the bleachers. He’s chasing the big dogs now—Barry Bonds still sits atop with 39 for a full season, but Raleigh’s pace is downright electrifying.

Having a record-breaking night alongside Mitch Garver—another catcher torching two homers and piling up five RBIs—Seattle’s battery stole headlines in a city buzzing with nostalgia, as Sammy Sosa made his return after twenty years. It’s rare to witness such a dynamic duo, reminiscent of the Dodgers’ Ferguson and Yeager back in ’79. Moments like these remind me why I fell in love with baseball—the unpredictable thrill, the legends made on hardwood and grass alike.LEARN MORE

CHICAGO — Cal Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners’ 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Raleigh put Seattle ahead and moved past Bench in the seventh inning with No. 29, a drive to the back of the left-field bleachers off Caleb Thielbar.

“Any time you’re mentioned in even the same sentence with one of the best, if not the best ever do it is a special thing,” Raleigh said. “I’m just very grateful. He’s one heck of a player or was one heck of a player. And like I said, just very, very happy about it.”

Raleigh needed only 73 games to break the record that Bench set in 87 games. The Seattle star shattered the mark with 22 games to spare before the All-Star game. Barry Bonds holds the overall record with 39 for San Francisco in 2001.

Raleigh sent his first homer just over the basket in the first off Matthew Boyd.

The 28-year-old slugger had three hits in his sixth multi-homer game of the season. He drove in three runs to push his season total to 63.

Bench was a 14-time All-Star in his 17-season career with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1970, at age 22, he became the youngest player to win the National League MVP award. He led the NL with 45 homers and drove in 148 runs.

Seattle’s Mitch Garver, a catcher by position, hit two homers and drove in five runs as a designated hitter. The duo stole the thunder from the NL-Central leading Chicago on a day when Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in over 20 years.

Raleigh and Garver are the first pair of primary catchers for a team to each homer twice since Joe Ferguson and Steve Yeager did it for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1979 home victory over Houston.