Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners shattered Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his 28th and 29th homers in a 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs. This achievement came in just 73 games, surpassing Bench’s record set in 87 games and leaving Raleigh with a historic 22 games to spare before the All-Star Game. Raleigh expressed gratitude for being mentioned alongside a Hall of Famer, while fellow catcher Mitch Garver also hit two homers, marking a historic moment for the Mariners.

Raleigh's record-breaking performance included three hits and three RBIs, bringing his season total to 63. Notably, Bench was a 14-time All-Star and a former National League MVP, known for leading the league with 45 homers in 1970. Raleigh and Garver’s dual homers marked the first instance since 1979 that two primary catchers from the same team each hit two home runs in a game.