In a season already defined by jaw-dropping power, Cal Raleigh has emerged as baseball’s biggest storyline this year. The Mariners catcher has been on a tear, slugging his way past the league’s most feared hitters, including Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, to top the major league home run chart with a staggering 38 blasts at the All-Star break. And now, he’s added another jewel to his breakout campaign: the 2025 Home Run Derby crown.

But amid the celebration, the spotlight has also cast long shadows. Questions are beginning to emerge. While fans recall Robinson Cano’s 2011 Derby win as one of the cleanest and most controversy-free in recent memory, the years thereafter have brought increased scrutiny to the event, and this year is no exception. Even Raleigh’s brilliant display wasn’t controversy free.

The 2025 Home Run Derby might have crowned a new king, but not without stirring debate in its wake. “CAL RALEIGH IS YOUR 2025 TMOBILE HRDERBY CHAMPION,” MLB’s official X handle announced.

And with that, Raleigh made history as the first catcher and first switch-hitter to win the Derby. With his powerful swings echoing memories of Ken Griffey Jr., the Mariners’ only other Derby winner, Raleigh gave Mariners fans a moment to remember under the bright lights of the Midsummer Classic. But as we said, with every derby win comes a few controversies.

The story began when Raleigh cranked out 17 homers in the first round, tying with the A’s Brent Rooker for the fourth place. Now, in an ideal condition, a tie like that would lead to a swing-off, but we didn’t see any tie-breaker there. Instead, MLB decided to break it by giving the edge to whoever hit the longest home run. But both Raleigh and Rooker had bombs that measured 470 feet.

So, how did they choose? Well, the home runs could be measured down to a crazy level of precision, and that concluded Raleigh’s longest homer was actually just a bit longer. Reportedly, it was 0.08 feet longer than Rooker’s. So yeah, less than an inch made all the difference.

And that’s what left the fans wondering. They seem not to be on the same page with MLB in terms measuring the home run distance down to the decimals rather than opting for a good ol’ tie-breaker.

Cal Raleigh’s brilliance is marred by controversy as fans call out MLB’s decision-making

“Brent Rooker was robbed,” wrote a fan. But hey, was he? Well, Raleigh and Rooker both hit 17 homers in the first round, and each had their longest shot measured at 471 feet. Now, fans were curious who would advance. A possibility of a coin flip was rumored. But before things got too messy, MLB stepped in with the decimal measurements. While the broadcast rounded both distances to 471 feet, the league used the more precise, unrounded numbers behind the scenes to make the call. With the current technologies in place, decimal points can be calculated, and since it came from the MLB itself, shouldn’t it be considered fair and square?

“I’ve lost all respect, sorry this is absolutely rigged for money… Or ratings, im not sure which. I won’t be silent. Just saw it live, sry,” read a comment. Yes, Raleigh indeed carries higher market hype over Rooker. But if it was so much about marketing, the biggest names in the league would not have given the exhibition game a miss. Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Shohei Ohtani, and others didn’t feature in the derby. So again, is it right to say the marketing factor was in play there?

“Shouldn’t have even been in the semis….” wrote another fan. Indeed, MLB doesn’t often publicize home run distances down to the inch in broadcasts. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t measure with more precision whenever needed. For the unversed, MLB can measure with that level of precision using Statcast’s Hawk-Eye technology.

“Shocker lol,” a netizen chimed in. Well, when both Raleigh and Brooker hit 471 foot homers, fans weren’t expecting it would come down to inches or less than that. And understandably so, because they hardly see it during the regular games. But when the technology is there, then why not use it?

“Torpedo bat,” commented an X user. Well, reportedly, the teams were leveraging on torpedo bats in the earlier parts of the season. Several reports were published proving how effective those bats are while taking hits. Even Raleigh has been using torpedo bats from the left side of the plate. And that’s what he did during the Home Run Derby too. So, did the bat make all the difference?