Raleigh's 12-Pitch Homer Off deGrom Could Spark Mariners Turnaround

Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh battles back from 0-2 count to hit first home run of the season against Rangers ace.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 11:42am

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An abstract expressionist painting in vibrant neon colors, capturing the explosive power and energy of a baseball player's home run swing, with the ball blasting off the bat in a blur of light.Raleigh's epic 12-pitch battle against one of baseball's best pitchers could be the spark that ignites his season and powers the Mariners' offense.Seattle Today

In his first at-bat against Texas Rangers star Jacob deGrom, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh fell behind 0-2 before working the count full and then launching a 99 mph fastball for his first home run of the 2026 season. The 12-pitch battle was the longest plate appearance deGrom had ever allowed that ended in a hit, and Mariners manager Dan Wilson called it "an incredible at bat" that could turn Raleigh's season around after a slow start.

Why it matters

Raleigh had struggled mightily to start the season, going the first 10 games without a home run after hitting 60 last year. This epic at-bat against one of the game's best pitchers could provide the confidence boost Raleigh needs to get back on track and power the Mariners' offense.

The details

After falling behind 0-2, Raleigh fouled off six pitches to work the count full before driving deGrom's 99 mph fastball over the wall for his first home run of 2026. The 12-pitch at-bat was the longest deGrom had ever allowed that ended in a hit.

  • On Monday night, April 7, 2026, Raleigh faced deGrom in the first inning.

The players

Cal Raleigh

The Seattle Mariners catcher who hit 60 home runs last season but had struggled to start 2026 before this epic at-bat against Jacob deGrom.

Jacob deGrom

The star pitcher for the Texas Rangers who had never before allowed a 12-pitch at-bat that ended in a hit.

Dan Wilson

The manager of the Seattle Mariners who called Raleigh's at-bat "an incredible at bat" that could turn his season around.

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What they’re saying

“Just trying to put the bat on the ball there and fight, don't punch out. I was able to have a pretty long at-bat, saw some good pitches and put a good swing on that last one.”

— Cal Raleigh, Mariners Catcher

“An incredible at bat.”

— Dan Wilson, Mariners Manager

What’s next

If Raleigh can build on this performance against one of the game's elite pitchers, it could be the spark that ignites his season and helps the Mariners offense get back on track.

The takeaway

Raleigh's epic 12-pitch battle and home run against Jacob deGrom showed the resilience and talent that made him a 60-homer slugger last season. This at-bat could be the confidence boost he needs to regain his form and power the Mariners' offense.