Cal Raleigh goes yard, equaling Oklahoma's Johnny Bench's historic season

Oklahoma native and Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench now has company in the record books—and it comes from one of baseball’s hottest hitters.

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh blasted his 45th home run of the season Sunday in a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, tying Bench for the second-most homers in a single season by a catcher in MLB history. Bench, who grew up in Binger, Okla., set the mark in 1970 during his legendary career with the Cincinnati Reds.

Raleigh’s milestone shot came in the first inning, part of a four-run frame that powered Seattle to its seventh straight win. The 27-year-old, nicknamed “Big Dumper,” has now homered in four of his last five games, ending a post-All-Star break slump and pushing the Mariners deeper into the American League playoff race.

Next up for Raleigh is Salvador Perez’s record of 48 homers by a catcher, set in 2021. With more than a month left in the regular season, the Oklahoma baseball community—and fans nationwide—will be watching to see if he can surpass it.