Seattle Mariners Cal Raleigh Passes Alex Rodriguez on Impressive List in Team History
The Seattle Mariners beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-3 on Sunday afternoon, halting a brutal five-game losing streak that saw them drop to 4.0 games back in the American League West race.
In the win, catcher Cal Raleigh ignited the offense with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. It was his only hit in a 1-for-5 effort. Though Raleigh is hitting just .211 for the year, he is the leader of the team's offense.
He continues to be the most powerful catcher in the game and leads the team with 27 homers and 78 RBI. He's posted a .744 OPS and also passed a very prominent name in team history on Sunday.
Per @StatsCentre:
Most RBI in a @Mariners player's first 4 MLB seasons:
366- Alvin Davis (1984-87)
344- Ken Griffey Jr. (1989-92)
315- Jim Presley (1984-87)
264- Kyle Seager (2011-14)
242- Ichiro Suzuki (2001-04)
229- Cal Raleigh (2021-24 via a 2-run HR vs PIT today)
228- Alex Rodriguez (1994-97)
Most RBI in a @Mariners player's first 4 MLB seasons:
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) August 19, 2024
366- Alvin Davis (1984-87)
344- Ken Griffey Jr. (1989-92)
315- Jim Presley (1984-87)
264- Kyle Seager (2011-14)
242- Ichiro Suzuki (2001-04)
229- Cal Raleigh (2021-24 via a 2-run HR vs PIT today)
228- Alex Rodriguez (1994-97) pic.twitter.com/njG22k1cqa
In his fourth major league season out of Florida State, Raleigh now has 86 career homers and the 229 RBI. He also hit the most prominent home run of the 2000s for Seattle when he sent the team to the playoffs with his blast off the Oakland Athletics in 2022.
Rodriguez, who became a villain in his career because of his connection to the Steroid Era, is one of the most complicated figures in Seattle sports history.
He is arguably a top-two player in the Mariners history and he paired alongside Ken Griffey Jr. for the most exciting era in Mariners history. By that account, he's likely deserving of being in the Mariners Hall of Fame, especially since he is believed to not have used steroids in Seattle. However, when he left, he broke the hearts of nearly all fans and left a void in the fanbase that hasn't healed, even 23 years later.
Drafted No. 1 overall in the 1993 MLB Draft, Rodriguez made his debut with the Mariners in 1994, staying through the 2000 season. He made the All-Star team four times with the Mariners and won a batting title in 1996. He also hit 42 homers and stole 46 bases in an incredible 1999 season. He helped the Mariners to the playoffs in the 1995, 1997 and 2000 seasons.
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