SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh hit his major league-leading 48th home run on Sunday against the Athletics, tying the single-season record for catchers set by Salvador Perez with the Kansas City Royals in 2021.

The switch-hitting Raleigh, batting from the right side, homered off A's left-hander Jacob Lopez in the first inning to make it 2-0.

It was the 39th longball Raleigh has delivered as a catcher this year. He has nine while serving as a designated hitter.

Perez hit 15 home runs as a DH in 2021, and 33 at catcher.

Only four other players in big league history have hit at least 40 homers in a season while primarily playing catcher: Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice). Bench, Campanella and Piazza are Hall of Famers.

Raleigh

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