MLB: Cal Raleigh Blasts Two More Homers, Closing in on Barry Bonds Pre-All-Star Break Record

DETROIT — Cal Raleigh crushed his 37th and 38th home runs Friday night as the Seattle Mariners routed the Detroit Tigers 12-3, bringing him within one homer of Barry Bonds’ 2001 Major League record for most home runs before the All-Star break.

Raleigh first tied the American League record of 37 homers before the break — a mark set by Reggie Jackson in 1969 and matched by Chris Davis in 2013 — with a solo shot off former teammate Tyler Holton in the eighth inning.

“[Holton] and I are really good friends, and I’ve caught a lot of his pitches,” said Raleigh, who was designated hitter in the lineup instead of catcher. “I don’t think that helped much, but I’m sure he’s not very happy with me.”

He followed that up with a grand slam off Brant Hurter in the ninth, extending his incredible power surge — number 38.

“I didn’t even know it was a record until just now,” Raleigh admitted. “I don’t have words for it, I guess. I’m just very grateful and thankful.”

This marked Raleigh’s eighth multi-homer game this season, tying Reggie Jackson (also in 1969) for the most multihomer games before the All-Star break in MLB history, according to ESPN Research. He also matched Ken Griffey Jr. for the most multihomer games in Mariners franchise history.

Seattle has just two games left in Detroit before the break, leaving plenty of opportunity for Raleigh to chase down Bonds’ record.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson praised Raleigh’s consistent excellence. “Cal Raleigh… this is just unbelievable. He’s already set the AL record and now he’s only one short of Barry. There are two games, so who knows?”

Raleigh’s monthly homer totals reveal remarkable consistency: 10 in March and April, 12 in May, 11 in June, and already 5 in July.

“This is a very boring comment, but baseball is all about consistency,” Wilson said. “This hasn’t been one hot streak, he’s doing this month after month. That says everything.”

⚾ MainEvent.News Spin:
Cal Raleigh’s power surge isn’t just lighting up scoreboards — it’s electrifying Mariners fans and injecting fresh excitement into MLB’s summer narrative as he chases history. With 38 home runs before the All-Star break, Raleigh is closing in on Barry Bonds’ legendary 2001 mark of 39 homers at the break, a record that stood as the most ever at that point in a season. This chase could define the year for baseball, turning Raleigh into a household name and a must-watch phenomenon for casual fans and purists alike. It’s moments like these — the thrill of witnessing a potential all-time record in the making — that capture the very spirit of America’s pastime, and MainEvent.News is here to bring you every electrifying update as history unfolds.