Cal Raleigh isn’t aiming to replicate his 60-home run season, and that’s perfectly reasonable. Such seasons are dreams, not benchmarks.
Yet, as he candidly shared with Brock and Salk, the "elephant in the room" isn't about chasing numbers but striving for consistency in 2026. That means adapting to how pitchers adjust to him.
Raleigh’s first spring training home run is a promising sign of his readiness.
The Mariners' beloved "Big Dumper" smashed his first Cactus League homer against Chicago White Sox right-hander Wikelman González. Taking a changeup just off the outside edge, Raleigh sent it soaring for a 107.4 mph, 427-foot blast to left-center field.
What stands out is the distance. For left-handed batters, hitting home runs over 420 feet to the left of center is no small feat. Let's compare:
2025: 0 2026: 1
This isn’t just a fluke. Statcast confirms it. Of the 10 homers Raleigh hit over 420 feet as a lefty last year, none matched the opposite-field power he displayed in this unofficial 2026 debut.
Raleigh’s approach was all about efficiency, perfecting his swings from both sides and focusing on pulling the ball in the air. By the end of 2025, he was unparalleled in this strategy.
However, a pull-heavy approach can invite adjustments from pitchers-more outside pitches or ones that move away from the batter, aiming for swings and misses or ground balls.
On Tuesday, González tried this tactic, but Raleigh was unfazed. He stayed back, connected solidly, and sent the ball flying.
“That ball was hammered,” noted Brendan Donovan, as reported by Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times. “When it touches his bat, it’s loud. It was fun to see.”
While it’s just one spring training homer, it hints at Raleigh’s potential for the season. With two solid swings and a sharp mind, it’s not a stretch to expect more fireworks from him in 2026.