From the inception of the All-Star Game in 1933 until this year, no catcher had ever hit more than Johnny Bench’s 28 home runs before the All-Star break. But Cal Raleigh is on a mission to destroy every catcher record available this season, and he didn’t even wait for a second pitch today before tying that record.
Unfortunately, that was all the Mariners could get going in the first inning, so when George Kirby pitched the bottom half of the inning lacking his typical sharpness, it was hard to feel good about Cal’s accomplishment.