Next up: Mickey Mantle for Seattle's Cal Raleigh

Rodney Knuppel

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Next up: Mickey Mantle for Seattle's Cal Raleigh image

The "Big Dumper" Cal Raleigh blasted two home runs on Sunday to become the single-season leader in home runs for a catcher. That was the big news.

What's coming next could be even bigger news. Raleigh, with his 49th home run in the second inning of the game, is now just five behind Mickey Mantle in 1961 for the most home runs hit by a switch hitter in a single season.

Mantle hit 52 in 1956, but then topped it in 1961 with 61. Raleigh passed Lance Berkman from the 2006 season and Chipper Jones from 1999, as they had 45.

MORE: First Ever: History Made in MLB on Sunday from Seattle

The Seattle Mariners catcher is now hitting .247 on the season. He has 119 hits, with 49 of them leaving the ballpark. He has driven in 106 runs and has scored 85 on the season. Raleigh and Aaron Judge are the two candidates to win the American League Most Valuable Player award in 2025.

What Raleigh has on his mind is a playoff race. Seattle won the game over the Athletics with 11 runs in the first three innings. The Mariners are now 70-61, which is second place in the American League West behind the Houston Astros.

Raleigh and the Mariners will finish the month of April with a three game home stand against the Padres starting Monday, and then finishing on the road at Cleveland, with Thursday off in between.

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Rodney Knuppel

Rodney Knuppel is a freelance writer for The Sporting News. When not watching, listening or writing about sports, Rodney enjoys following the travels of his three kids, who are all active in their own sports and activities. A huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, Rodney also enjoys St. Louis Blues hockey and is a big Kansas Jayhawks basketball fan.