The Mariners<\/a>\u2019 backstop is MLB<\/a>\u2019s home run leader, and as of now the only one to hit at least 40 of them in 2025. He\u2019s sat out three games with Seattle this season, which means his pace rounds down to 61 home runs at the moment assuming he plays in the rest of them. He likely will need at least one day off between now and the end of the year, however, so it\u2019s vital that he has a big week to pump up his home run total and his pace at some point.<\/p>\n Vital for what purpose? Raleigh is chasing three different home run records. He\u2019s already hit the most homers by a switch-hitting catcher in a single season ever, passing Todd Hundley\u2019s 41 bombs in 1996, but next up is the single-season record for homers by any catcher: Salvador Perez\u2019s 48 from 2021. Perez also led the majors that year, which Raleigh might very well manage. Perez and Johnny Bench \u2014 on two occasions \u2014 are the catchers who have pulled that off before. So Raleigh might have the most home runs by a catcher\u00a0and the most home runs by a catcher leading the league in homers, depending on how the rest of the year shakes out.<\/p>\n If Raleigh reaches 50 home runs, he\u2019ll be the 33rd player in league history to do so. Just 32 have ever hit 50 home runs, although 10 of those players have done so multiple times, and their repeat appearances make up the bulk of the 50-homer seasons in MLB.<\/p>\n In addition, Big Dumper is chasing Mickey Mantle\u2019s record of 54 homers by a switch-hitter in a single season \u2014 Mantle is not only the only switch-hitter with a 50-homer season, but he\u2019s got both instances, as he hit 54 in 1961, and 52 in 1956.\u00a0<\/p>\n After that is Aaron Judge<\/a>\u2019s American League record for homers, 62. Judge broke Roger Maris\u2019 longstanding mark \u2014 also from 1961 \u2014 in 2022. This is the only record Raleigh has a realistic shot at and is also currently behind the pace for. Not by much, however, at 61.<\/p>\n Aaron Judge: 37 HR, 103\/112 G, 55-HR Pace<\/p>\n Aaron Judge has missed some time thanks to an IL stint for an elbow injury, but he\u2019s expected to return on Aug. 5 as the Yankees<\/a>\u2019 DH. That\u2019s great news for New York and for Judge\u2019s chances at history: if he reaches 50 homers in 2025, it will be the fourth time he\u2019s hit at least that many. That would tie the MLB record currently held by Babe Ruth, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. Judge is still all of 33 years old: if he hits 50 homers in 2025, given his power, another 50-homer campaign before he calls it a career isn\u2019t out of the question. One year at a time, however: Judge can tie the record this season, and worry about breaking it down the road.<\/p>\n Shohei Ohtani<\/a>: 38 HR, 110\/112 G, 55-HR Pace<\/p>\n Ohtani is tied for the National League lead in home runs, which is nothing new \u2014 the Dodgers<\/a>\u2019 slugger hit 54 in 2024 and led the NL \u2014 but he wasn\u2019t also a pitcher then, as he was still recovering from Tommy John surgery. Ohtani is back on the mound as a two-way star, and while he hasn\u2019t spent the whole season there, the grind of his schedule is still intense and unique to him.<\/p>\n To give you a sense of rarity, Wes Ferrell is the record holder for the most home runs in a season by a pitcher who only did that, with nine, set back in 1931. Ohtani isn\u2019t hitting all of his homers in games he\u2019s pitching, so we can really only compare him to himself. His career-high for home runs in years in which he\u2019s pitched is 46; Ohtani is on pace for 55. The first-ever starting pitcher who also hit 50 home runs the same season? It\u2019s looking pretty likely at this stage.<\/p>\n Kyle Schwarber<\/a>: 38 HR, 111\/111 G, 55-HR Pace\u00a0<\/p>\n Schwarber is the NL player that Ohtani is tied with for the lead in home runs, thanks to Sunday\u2019s blast. Schwarber has never hit 50 home runs before, meaning he could join Raleigh as a first-timer in that club (or get there on his own).\u00a0<\/p>\n He\u2019s played in every game for the Phillies<\/a> to this point, and his pace has him clearing 50 homers with room to spare, as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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