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The Rangers showed Raleigh the ultimate respect. | Screengrab Twitter @TalkinBaseball_<\/p>\n The Rangers showed Raleigh the ultimate respect. | Screengrab Twitter @TalkinBaseball_<\/p>\n
Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh is quite literally striking fear into opposing managers. <\/p>\n
On Friday, Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford led off the top of the third inning with a single and Julio Rodriguez followed it up with a double to give Seattle runners on second and third with Raleigh and his MLB-leading 32 home runs stepping up to the plate. Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux emerged from the dugout to have a discussion with starter Nathan Eovaldi, and Texas then opted to intentionally walk Raleigh to load the bases with no one out. <\/p>\n
While Texas’s decision also set the club up for the double play, it was still the ultimate sign of respect towards baseball’s home run leader. <\/p>\n
Rangers intentionally walked Cal Raleigh to load the bases with nobody out in the 3rd inning pic.twitter.com\/yvmTCPpBpc<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Talkin\u2019 Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n The Mariners scored a run when second baseman Jorge Polanco grounded into a fielder’s choice, then another when outfielder Randy Arozarena hit a sacrifice fly to left field. One could certainly argue that the damage had been limited. <\/p>\n But it wasn’t the last time that Raleigh’s power would force the Rangers into a tough decision. Just an inning later, Texas skipper Bruce Bochy faced a similar predicament, though this time there were two outs in the inning and the Mariners had two base runners with Raleigh again walking up to the batter’s box. <\/p>\n And again, the Rangers intentionally walked the Mariners’ backstop. Polanco grounded out to short and the Rangers emerged out of the top of the fourth having only surrendered a run. <\/p>\n It’s hard to argue with the strategy, especially given how well Raleigh has been swinging the bat. He has belted 10 home runs in June, giving him a league-leading 32 for the season. Not only did Raleigh break Cincinnati Reds legend Johnny Bench’s record<\/a> for the most home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break (28), but he is also on pace to break Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez’s record for the most home runs by a catcher in a season (48). <\/p>\n Oh, and Raleigh is also pacing to break the American League single-season home run record of 62 home runs, set by New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge in 2022. <\/p>\n Can you blame the Rangers for not wanting to pitch to him with runners in scoring position? <\/p>\n More MLB on Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rangers Gave Cal Raleigh the Barry Bonds Treatment Twice in Same Game <\/a>. <\/p>\n