MLB’s biggest power show just landed a major name, and fans are buzzing. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who’s been tearing the cover off the ball, is taking his home run tear to the biggest stage of them all: The T-Mobile Home Run Derby. With moonshots flying and momentum soaring, Raleigh’s surprise entry has fans fired up, and Truist Park is about to feel the thunder.

“Yeah, I would do that in a heartbeat,” Raleigh said earlier when asked about his chances of participating in the event. And after his historic week, blasting home runs left and right, Raleigh announced his decision on Friday. This will be the first Home Run Derby appearance for the 28-year-old. And after ‘Big Dumper’s epic first half of the season, the hype is over the roof.

“I’m excited to represent the Mariners and our fanbase,” Raleigh shared. “It will be extra special for me getting to do it in Atlanta, where I spent a lot of time playing baseball as a kid,” he added. “It’s really cool,” Raleigh told MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer. “Obviously, for all my family, it’ll be easy for them to get to. And friends have already been texting me and asking if I would do it. So now hopefully I can put their mind at ease a little bit,” he continued.

Raleigh is gearing up for another headline moment. And a win would make him the first catcher in history to take home the title. Not only that, he could become the first switch-hitter to win, too.

At this point, it’s interesting to note that he hasn’t yet made it into an All-Star Game. But this season, he has a chance to change it. If it weren’t for Aaron Judge, he would have already locked up a starting position. He is one of the finalists for the AL starting catcher spot in the ASG, alongside Alejandro Kirk of the Blue Jays. And guess what! He recently overtook Judge and is now leading the league with 32 home runs. No wonder he entered the Home Run Derby.

The day will be even more special for him as his dad, Todd, will be throwing to him, and hopefully, his 15-year-old brother, Todd Jr., will be catching.

As fans flock to Atlanta on July 14 to witness the power-hitting battle, Raleigh is ready to give them a full-course meal. Meanwhile, some can’t help but offer warnings. What if he heads to Atlanta at his peak, only to return with a cold bat?

Fans react to Dumber Derby

The Dodgers‘ Teoscar Hernández took the Derby crown last season in a star-studded battle. This year’s Home Run Derby title race just got more exciting as the Mariners’ home run machine looks to send balls flying. Raleigh is coming off one of the best first halves in recent memory. He’s hitting .275/.380/.651 with a league-leading OPS of 1.031. But the Derby has a reputation for messing with players’ swings. Many dismiss this as superstition or myth, but fans can’t ignore the so-called “Derby curse.”

Fans took to the comment section of MLB’s official Instagram page, with some visibly concerned about Raleigh’s second half. “He will win, but he’ll return and hit half as many compared to the first half,“ one comment read. It’s a common pattern for catchers to cool off late in the season. But Raleigh has managed to maintain his performance so far. But, remember Bobby Abreu in 2005? He won the Derby that year with 41 homers and an OPS of .955. But in the second half, he could only hit six home runs. He’s just one among many players who experienced this, and fans’ concerns are valid. They just don’t want to risk losing the team’s best bat.

While some worry about a swing breakdown, others fear injury. “Please don’t become injured because of this.“ This was possibly a memory of Raleigh’s 2022 postseason run, when he played through an 18-inning ALDS marathon with a thumb injury. He later underwent surgery for the same. That injury had put the Gold Glove-caliber catcher on the IL, and the Mariners can’t afford to lose him again. But not everyone is against his entry.

“IMO, his natural strength and switch-hitting ability make him an easy favorite. He can go until he starts to fatigue, then just switch sides,” one fan wrote. That’s a fair point. Raleigh isn’t just any player. He’s a switch-hitter, which could work to his advantage. And he has already shared his plan to switch-hit during the event. The last time a switch-hitter put on a show was back in 2023, when Adley Rutschman took a shot at Derby. Now, with the Big Dumper on board, much like last season, the event is expected to be star-loaded this time, too.

“The world is healing — good players are in the Derby,” another commented, looking forward to July 14. Raleigh isn’t just good, he’s the best right now. He’s on an incredible home run spree, which makes his chances of winning higher. But Raleigh wasn’t the first to announce his entry. Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. was the first confirmed name for the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. With more sluggers expected to join, this battle is about to get electric.

Now, some fans are hoping for an all-star lineup. “This is going to be the best Derby ever — we need Vlad, Judge, or Schwarber though.” Vladimir Guerrero Jr. already made history by winning in 2023. Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber, with 24 home runs so far, is still undecided. As for Aaron Judge, he’s likely to skip unless it’s held in New York. He hasn’t participated since winning in 2017.

Well, it’s too early to predict who’ll win. Plus, the full lineup hasn’t been revealed yet. But Raleigh is definitely looking to make history. Fans can only hope he caps off this season with both a Derby crown and an MVP title. But to get the latter, he’ll need to carry this form into the second half. Will he be able to do that? We’ll have to wait and see.