Mariners star Cal Raleigh bashes pair of home runs
Digest more
Cal Raleigh hit his 37th and 38th home runs of the season Friday night, pulling within one of Barry Bonds’ record for most homers before the All-Star break as the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 12-3 and snapped Tarik Skubal’s lengthy winning streak.
Cal Raleigh, a former Smoky Mountain standout, will compete in the Home Run Derby with his dad, former Tennessee coach Todd Raleigh, pitching.
Athletics slugger Brent Rooker became the latest entrant in the forthcoming Home Run Derby on Thursday. Just one spot remains vacant in the eight-player field. Rooker, 30, has hit .270/.346/.489 (130 OPS+) with 19 home runs in his first 94 games this season.
Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge are putting on a show similar to what Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa did in 1998. But this chase is better because the 'clean' home run record is at stake.
All-Star starter passed the National Baseball Hall of Famer as the team's most prolific home run hitter through the first half of a season.