Dumper's Derby: Raleigh second to join HR event

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads the majors successful homers with 32, said Friday that helium volition enactment successful adjacent month's Home Run Derby.

The Derby volition beryllium held July 14, the nighttime earlier the All-Star Game, astatine Truist Park successful Atlanta.

It's the archetypal derby quality for the 28-year-old known arsenic Big Dumper. This season, Raleigh became the archetypal catcher and archetypal switch-hitter to scope 30 homers earlier the All-Star break.

"I'm excited to correspond the Mariners and our fanbase," Raleigh said successful a statement. "It volition beryllium other peculiar for maine getting to bash it successful Atlanta, wherever I spent a batch of clip playing shot arsenic a kid."

No catcher has ever won the Home Run Derby, which began successful 1985.

Raleigh is 1 of the finalists for the American League starting catcher spot successful the All-Star Game, on with the Toronto Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk.

He volition beryllium the eighth Seattle subordinate to vie successful the Derby, joining Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez on with Jay Buhner, Alex Rodriguez, Bret Boone, Robinson Cano and existent teammate Julio Rodriguez. Griffey won the lawsuit successful 1994, 1998 and 1999, and successful 1993, helium became the lone subordinate to deed the B&O Warehouse astatine Camden Yards connected the fly.

Entering Friday, Raleigh was batting .275 with 69 RBIs, 15 doubles and 47 walks successful 79 games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.