Few players in MLB history have ever experienced a drop-off like the one Cal Raleigh has endured this year.
After setting an MLB record for catchers with 60 home runs last season and finishing second in the AL MVP race to Aaron Judge, Raleigh has endured a disastrous 2026 thus far. He's missed time with injuries and collapsed at the plate, losing 330 points on his OPS.
Fortunately for the Seattle Mariners, however, he seems to be pulling out of it. He's hit safely in four straight games with four homers during that span, including his first career three-homer game on Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Raleigh finished Monday's game 3-for-3 with three homers, four RBI and a walk, powering the Mariners to a 9-2 victory that snapped the Phillies' nine-game winning streak.
It was Raleigh's first multi-homer game of the season, giving him six home runs in August and 17 on the year. Barring another injury, he should top 20 homers for the fifth year in a row.
He's also heating up at the perfect time for Seattle, which has won six of its last nine games. The Mariners enter play on Tuesday three games out of a playoff spot in the American League.
If they want to reach the postseason again, they'll need a strong finish from Raleigh over the next month. He proved last year that he's capable of putting the team on his back, so time will tell if he can do it again.