SEATTLE \u2014 On the spot, Cal Raleigh compiled a list of players he would consider for a Mount Rushmore of Seattle Mariners after their 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.<\/p>\n
Ichiro Suzuki was one of the first names, followed by starting pitchers Felix Hernandez and Randy Johnson. When identifying who is the face of the Mariners, though, Raleigh immediately landed on Ken Griffey Jr., whose franchise record of 35 home runs before the All-Star break Raleigh tied with a pair of blasts.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be mentioned with that name, somebody that\u2019s just iconic, a legend, first-ballot Hall of Famer, I\u2019m just blessed,\u201d Raleigh said. \u201cTrying to do the right thing and trying to keep it rolling. If I can try to be like that guy, it\u2019s a good guy to look up to.\u201d<\/p>\n
From Raleigh\u2019s perspective, Griffey would have \u201csmashed\u201d the major-league home run record \u2014 rather than come up 132 short of Barry Bonds \u2014 if not for injuries. Thankfully for Raleigh\u2019s sake, that admiration hasn\u2019t been reserved for the public eye.<\/p>\n
Whenever Griffey finds himself back in Seattle, which was the case when FIFA Club World Cup games were taking place at Lumen Field, Raleigh has enjoyed his chats with \u201cThe Kid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always fun to have him around the clubhouse to just talk to him a little bit and figure out how he went about his business,\u201d Raleigh said. \u201cI\u2019ve talked to him on the phone once or twice as well. So he\u2019s a good one. He\u2019s one of the best of all time. It\u2019s hard to beat talking to somebody like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also hard to find many comparable runs to what Raleigh \u2014 who will participate in the Home Run Derby \u2014 is in the midst of and what Griffey accomplished ahead of the 1998 All-Star break. Manager Dan Wilson, who was a teammate of Griffey\u2019s in 1998, is among the few folks who can truly put Raleigh\u2019s fast start to 2025 in perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s remarkable. It feels like he hits a home run every game,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cAnd I can remember feeling it as a player, that (Griffey) just felt like he hit a home run every day.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain, that\u2019s the consistency that (Raleigh) has shown. It hasn\u2019t been a streak where he has hit a bunch of home runs in a short amount of time. It\u2019s been kind of 10 per month.\u201d<\/p>\n
To Wilson\u2019s point, Raleigh has been remarkably consistent. He walloped nine home runs in April, 12 in May and 11 more in June. Griffey\u2019s figures were a tad more mercurial but just barely (10 in April, eight in May, 14 in June).<\/p>\n
All told, the 28-year-old Raleigh has more than lived up in the early stages to the six-year, $105 million contract extension he signed just before the 2025 season. Not only has Raleigh set a career high for home runs, but he\u2019s on track to post new marks for batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.<\/p>\n
Raleigh chalked up those developments to his maturing a little more than halfway into his fourth full major-league season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have the ability to drive the ball out of the ballpark,\u201d Raleigh said. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s part of my game and I\u2019m a strong guy. It\u2019s learning how to hone it in and take your hits when maybe you\u2019re not getting those pitches in the heart of the plate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Such an approach is all well and good, but the results have been starkly different. Raleigh has racked up only 36 singles \u2014 one more than his home run total. Suffice to say, his offensive output has justified every dollar the Mariners have sent his way so far, and then some.<\/p>\n
\u201cWant to make sure I\u2019m doing everything I can every single day to earn that paycheck and earn what they gave me,\u201d Raleigh said. \u201cBut it\u2019s a lot more than just that. It\u2019s being a leader, doing things in the clubhouse and making sure you\u2019re ready to go every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n
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