Cal Raleigh breaks Johnny Bench's record for homers by a catcher before All-Star break
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.
Advertisement
'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.
Advertisement
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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mavericks Issue Major Announcement on Kyrie Irving
Mavericks Issue Major Announcement on Kyrie Irving originally appeared on Athlon Sports. DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks' picture for 2025-26 and beyond won't be complete without Kyrie Irving ... and suddenly there is some optimism regarding the All-Star's rehab process and a possibly brighter picture. ... Advertisement Sooner. In a conversation on the "DLLS Dallas Mavericks Podcast," Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd provided positive insight regarding Irving's recovery timeline from the devastating ACL tear that derailed both the star guard's and the team's 2024-25 season. While the typical recovery period for an ACL tear ranges from 10 to 12 months, Kidd's comments suggest Irving could return to the court earlier than expected. "We know he won't be back until January, February, March," Kidd said during his podcast appearance. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's back early." Kidd was careful not to commit to a specific timeline, adding, "I didn't want to put a time limit on it, because I don't want to be held to, 'Well, you said January,' so we got to give me some leeway there." Advertisement Irving suffered the injury in early March, effectively ending what had already become a challenging season for the Mavericks. Previous reports indicated the organization was targeting a January return for Irving, which would mark approximately 10 months of recovery time. Kidd's assessment of Irving's rehabilitation progress appears overwhelmingly positive. "As you know, he documents everything, so just talking to him, his spirit, he's in the right frame of mind," Kidd noted, highlighting the eight-time All-Star's mental approach to recovery. With Irving sidelined for at least the first two months of the 2025-26 campaign, the Mavericks face critical roster decisions this offseason. Kidd acknowledged the team is exploring options to temporarily fill the void at point guard. Advertisement "Being able to build the roster, maybe looking for a player that can fill that void until he can get back, also a player that can play with [Kyrie], also a player that might not play as much when [Kyrie] comes back," Kidd explained, outlining the complex calculus facing the front office. Dante Exum and Spencer Dinwiddie handled playmaking duties in Irving's absence last season, but both enter free agency this summer, leaving the Mavericks with significant decisions to make. The organization must also balance urgency with prudence regarding Irving's return timeline. At 34 years old by next March, rushing back from such a significant injury carries substantial risk, regardless of Irving's determination to return ahead of schedule. Jason Kidd (right) And Kyrie Irving (left)By Tony Fisher As the offseason unfolds, the organization's approach to temporarily replacing Irving while simultaneously building around the future Flagg-Irving pairing will be closely watched by Mavericks faithful eager for a return to contention. Related: Micah Parsons and Mark Cuban Offer Their Keys to Success This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Indiana Pacers Could Take a Page from 2011 Dallas Mavericks' Playbook in NBA Finals
Indiana Pacers Could Take a Page from 2011 Dallas Mavericks' Playbook in NBA Finals originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In 2011, Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, head coach Rick Carlisle, and the Dallas Mavericks met the "Big Three" Miami Heat tandem in the NBA Finals. Nine months prior, LeBron James promised that he would win "not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven" titles in Miami, and the Heat were heavy favorites. Advertisement Instead, the Mavericks sent them packing in six games, running home to South Beach with their tails tucked between their legs. That 2011 ring was the crowning achievement for both Dirk and Carlisle, who is back in the Finals this year with the Indiana Pacers, who trail the Oklahoma City Thunder two games to three. In a do-or-die Game 6 on Thursday night, All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton is hobbled, prompting Carlisle to possibly do what he did in 2011: give the undersized, overlooked bench player the starting nod. In 2011, JJ Barea started only two regular-season games before getting the nod in Games 4, 5, and 6. This season, TJ McConnell has only started a single game, although his ability to push the pace will be very valuable with Haliburton hobbled. Advertisement The 2011 Mavericks went 3-0 in the Finals game Barea started, clinching the only ring in franchise history. As the Pacers search for their first title, Carlisle could make the same call he made 14 years ago, giving the undersized, scrappy point guard a bigger role than expected. It worked in 2011, when the Mavericks were the underdogs, and the situation is very similar for the Pacers. Related: Mavericks Issue Major Announcement on Kyrie Irving Related: Paige Bueckers Comments on Cooper Flagg's Potential Move to Dallas This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd Has Hall of Fame Comparison for Cooper Flagg
Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd Has Hall of Fame Comparison for Cooper Flagg originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It's seemingly a foregone conclusion that the Dallas Mavericks will select Duke forward Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 selection in the 2025 NBA Draft next week. Dallas was the only team Flagg visited pre-draft, and by every account, Flagg is far and away the top prospect in the draft. Advertisement It was reportedly a fantastic visit, with Flagg putting on a show in an hour-long workout that he insisted on doing. Flagg went out to dinners with team brass and future teammates, and he seems eager for the opportunity to play with the Mavericks. ESPN's Tim MacMahon made an appearance on NBA Today, discussing Flagg's visit to Dallas, where he revealed Mavericks' head coach Jason Kidd had a Hall of Fame comparison for Flagg. 'There's a buzz about Cooper Flagg," MacMahon said. "I'm told Jason Kidd sees shades of another Duke guy in Cooper Flagg, a guy who J-Kidd shared the Rookie of the Year Award with, Grant Hill. "Cooper Flagg is really gonna have a chance, especially early in the season when Kyrie Irving's out, to play a point forward type of game. He's gonna have the ball in his hands a lot, and J-Kidd thinks he can facilitate.' Advertisement Hill, a former Blue Devil himself, lit the league on fire before injuries derailed his Hall of Fame career. He won Co-Rookie of the Year with Kidd, and during Hill's first six NBA seasons, he averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Known for his highlight-reel athleticism, Hill was also ahead of his time in terms of his playmaking ability despite his 6-foot-8 frame. Hill averaged over six assists per game in five separate NBA seasons, including a career-high 7.3 assists per game in 1996-97. Among players 6-foot-8 or taller, Hill is one of just 20 players in league history to average 6.0 assists per game or more, and one of just seven players at that height to do it in four separate seasons. During his four-year career at Duke, Hill averaged 3.6 assists per game, with his highest mark coming in his senior year, where he paired his 5.2 assists with 17.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game. Advertisement For reference, Flagg, as a freshman, averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. Hill made the All-Star Game seven times and earned five All-NBA selections during his NBA career. Flagg is highly lauded for his defense, perhaps even more so than his versatile offensive game. If Flagg follows a similar career trajectory to Hill (before the injuries), paired with his defensive potential, the Mavs could have an all-time great on their hands. Related: Intriguing Details Emerge from Cooper Flagg's Private Workout with Mavericks Related: Indiana Pacers Could Take a Page from 2011 Dallas Mavericks' Playbook in NBA Finals This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
