Cal Raleigh’s Three-Homer Game Gave the Mariners More Than Just History

Three balls left the yard. One slumping Mariners star may have finally returned.

Aug 24, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) hits a two-run home run during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Whether you call it a slump-buster or not, Cal Raleigh absolutely smashed through a wall last night. He loaded up for three home runs in a 9-2 blowout against the Phillies, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBIs, three runs, and a walk. All three homers came from the left side. All three landed beyond the right-field wall. By the seventh inning, Raleigh had turned one of baseball’s hottest teams into a supporting character in his own comeback story.

Raleigh became the first Mariner ever to hit three homers in a single game at T-Mobile Park. He’s also just the 13th player in franchise history to pull off a three-homer night, and only the second catcher, joining their current manager Dan Wilson, who did it back in 1996.

Let’s be honest here, Cal has been a massive disappointment this year. After launching 60 bombs last season, he walked into Monday's game with just 14. At this point, the Mariners don't even need him to make up for lost time. They just need him to look normal, because he hasn't for most of the summer.

HAVE. A. NIGHT. CAL. pic.twitter.com/LwvlDjyUhL

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 25, 2026

The Mariners’ Playoff Hopes Still Run Through Cal Raleigh

Again, not calling it a breakout, but Monday offered the clearest evidence that something may finally be changing. Raleigh’s average exit velocity has climbed to 93.3 mph in August, his highest mark in any month this season. Before August, it sat at 88.4 mph. So the ball was already beginning to come off his bat differently before three of those swings reached the seats.

The first home run pretty much told the story. He absolutely laid into an elevated fastball from Zack Wheeler, the exact pitch that has been beating him all year. Before last night, he was slugging a .351 against high heat, down from .538 last year.

Seattle is still sitting at 63-69. One explosive night doesn't erase four months of absolute frustration, and three homers certainly doesn't fix this roster. But the Mariners are sitting just three games out in both the AL West and the wild-card races with 30 games left to play. If Cal gets hot right now, it completely changes the math on the rest of the season.

We finally saw this lineup look like the version the front office drew up. Julio Rodríguez got things started with a three-run shot, Raleigh followed it up with a two-run blast, and Cole Young went back-to-back right after him. Seattle just completely overwhelmed a contender riding in a nine-game win streak.

Nobody expects Raleigh to go out and hit multi-homer games every night down the stretch. But if he can look anything like the power-hitting catcher we know he is, it's going to go a massive way down the stretch.