It was one of those Sunday afternoons at T-Mobile Park where the Seattle marine layer felt a little heavy, but the energy was weirdly electric. You know the vibe. Fans were still buzzing from a 14-0 blowout win the day before, yet there’s always that nagging fear that the bats will go cold after a big night. Then Cal Raleigh stepped up in the bottom of the first inning on April 27, 2025.
Basically, he didn't wait around.
Facing Miami Marlins right-hander Max Meyer, the Mariners’ "Big Dumper" did exactly what he’s paid to do. With two outs and the bases empty, he sat on a 95.5 mph four-seam fastball that stayed just a bit too much in the heart of the zone. Raleigh didn't just hit it; he punished it.
The Mechanics of Cal Raleigh's Homer 4/27/25
Let's look at the numbers because they’re actually kind of insane for a catcher in April. This wasn't a cheapie. The ball left the bat at 101.2 mph with a launch angle of 35 degrees. It traveled 368 feet into the right-field seats, tying the game at 1-1 and sending a clear message to the Marlins dugout.
People forget that Raleigh was hitting from the left side here. Honestly, the way he creates leverage as a switch-hitter is what makes him a unicorn in today's game. Most catchers are just trying to survive the physical toll of the position by late April. Cal? He was busy hitting his 10th home run of the season.
Ten homers before May 1st. Think about that.
The pitch from Meyer wasn't even "bad" per se—it had a 2567 rpm spin rate—but Raleigh’s bat path was perfectly synced. He caught it out front. If you watch the replay, you’ll see that classic Raleigh follow-through where he almost looks like he's falling back because he's putting every ounce of his 235-pound frame into the swing.
Why This Specific Game Mattered
The Mariners ended up winning this one 7-6, but it wasn't easy. It was actually a total nail-biter. Logan Evans was making his first Major League start, and when a rookie is on the mound, you need your veteran leaders to provide an immediate cushion. By answering the Marlins' early run with a solo shot in the first, Raleigh settled the entire dugout.
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- Final Score: Seattle Mariners 7, Miami Marlins 6
- The Save: Andres Muñoz (who else?) closed it out in the 9th
- The Context: This win moved Seattle to 16-12 on the year
Without that early momentum from Cal Raleigh's homer 4/27/25, the middle-inning chaos might have spiraled. The Marlins kept clawing back, especially with Connor Norby hitting a late homer to make it a one-run game. But the foundation was set early by the guy behind the plate.
The Historic Pace of the "Big Dumper"
We need to talk about the historical context here because what we saw in April 2025 was the start of something historic. By hitting his 10th home run on April 27, Raleigh was pacing for numbers that catchers just don't put up anymore.
For a long time, the gold standard for power catchers was Mike Piazza or maybe Salvador Perez’s 48-homer season in 2021. But Cal was doing this while playing Platinum Glove-caliber defense. That’s the nuance people miss. It’s one thing to be a designated hitter who occasionally wears the tools of ignorance; it’s another to call a gem for a rookie pitcher like Logan Evans and then go deep in your first plate appearance.
He ended the season with 60 home runs. Yeah, 60.
That trajectory started right here in late April. If he doesn't hit number 10 against Meyer on the 27th, maybe the "slump" people were starting to whisper about actually happens. Instead, he stayed hot. He proved that the power wasn't a fluke of a warm spring training in Arizona but a permanent fixture of his 2025 campaign.
Defensive Impact vs. Offensive Production
It's sorta funny how we focus on the homers—and look, a 101-mph exit velocity is sexy—but Raleigh’s value on April 27 was also in how he handled the staff. Evans wasn't perfect, but Cal navigated him through 5+ innings.
- He identified that Meyer was leaning on the fastball early.
- He adjusted his own approach to sit on the heater.
- He communicated those zone adjustments to the rest of the lineup.
That's the "hidden" part of the game. When Raleigh homers, the Mariners win more often than not. It's not just the run on the scoreboard; it's the psychological lift. You can see it in the way the pitchers walk back to the dugout. When your catcher is the most dangerous hitter in the lineup, you feel like you have a massive safety net.
What Fans Get Wrong About Raleigh's Power
Most people think Cal is just a "pull hitter" who gets lucky with the short porch in right. But if you look at the 4/27/25 blast, it was a pure display of strength. 368 feet in Seattle air in April is like 400 feet in Cincinnati. It’s heavy air.
He's also incredibly disciplined. Meyer tried to get him to chase the slider later in the game, but Raleigh wouldn't budge. He understands his zones. He knows that if he gets a fastball in the upper third, he can generate that 35-degree launch angle consistently.
Practical Takeaways for Mariners Fans
If you're tracking the Mariners or just looking back at why the 2025 season felt so different, keep these points in mind. Raleigh's performance wasn't just about a single swing, but about a shift in how the team operated.
First, look at the lineup protection. Having guys like Randy Arozarena in the mix meant pitchers couldn't just walk Cal every time. On April 27, Meyer had to challenge him because the heart of the order was too dangerous to put runners on for free.
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Second, watch the exit velocity trends. Raleigh didn't just have a high peak; he had a high floor. His "bad" contact was still coming off the bat at 90+ mph. That’s why he was able to rack up 125 RBIs by the end of the year.
Finally, appreciate the durability. Catching 130+ games while leading the league in homers is a feat of modern sports science. It's basically unheard of.
To really understand the impact of this season, you should compare Raleigh's April 2025 splits to his 2024 numbers. You'll notice a massive jump in his walk rate and a decrease in his strikeout percentage against high-velocity fastballs. That adjustment is exactly what we saw on April 27—a hitter who was no longer guessing, but hunting specific pitches with elite precision.
Check out the official MLB highlights from that Sunday to see the swing for yourself; the sound off the bat tells you everything you need to know.