Cal Raleigh hit a record-setting 60 home runs last season, but he didn’t hit the longest one on his own team.
That honor went to Seattle Mariners rookie second baseman Cole Young, who belted a 456-foot blast. It was one of only four homers hit by Young in his 77-game debut.
If this spring is any indication, Young should easily surpass that home-run total in 2026.
Young’s three-run homer in the fourth inning Friday guided the Mariners to a 5-1 victory against the visiting Cleveland Guardians. The season-opening, four-game series continues Saturday in Seattle.
Young, who led the Mariners with six homers and 18 RBIs in spring training, got one of only two hits off Cleveland starter Gavin Wiliams. Young also made a highlight-reel play at second base, diving to his right to rob Jose Ramirez of a hit in the first inning.
“I think going into last year, I didn’t really know what to expect,” said Young, a first-round draft pick in 2022. “And once I got caught up, I didn’t know how hard the game actually is. So it’s nice to come into the spring and, after failing a lot last year, work on those failures this offseason and come back this year. … It’s nice to be able to take those lessons and keep building on top of that.”
Young started off well after being called up last season, getting a walk-off fielder’s choice in his May 31 MLB debut. But he slumped late in the season and ended up hitting just .211 with 12 extra-base hits in 257 plate appearances. He was left off the postseason roster.
“I think early on it was frustrating for him, just because he wasn’t seeing it pay off right away,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “But now you’re really seeing some strong at-bats, stringing them together, and when your body’s able to handle that and you can take your best self up to the plate every time, your confidence is rolling, and that’s what we’re seeing from Cole right now.”
Luke Raley added a two-run shot for the Mariners on Friday and George Kirby allowed one run on two hits over six innings, with six strikeouts.
The Guardians’ Chase DeLauter, who made his first regular-season appearance Thursday after debuting in last year’s playoffs, homered for a third time in two games.
“He’s not from this planet,” said Guardians reliever Erik Sabrowski, who was a teammate of DeLauter’s in the minor leagues.
DeLauter homered in the first inning for a second straight night.
“I’m human, just like everybody else. We all get nervous,” DeLauter said. “The way I like to put it is I’m ready for it to start right when I walk in the building. I don’t feel like I’m nervous for the game. I’m just anxious for it to start.”
Saturday’s game is scheduled to feature Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo (5-3, 3.21 ERA last season) against Mariners righty Bryan Woo (15-7, 2.94).
Cantillo will be facing the Mariners for the first time; Woo is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in one previous start against Cleveland.
–Field Level Media
