Cal Raleigh is first to 40 homers this season with tiebreaking shot in Mariners' 7-2 win over Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cal Raleigh became the first player to hit 40 homers this season with a tiebreaking solo shot in the sixth inning of the Seattle Mariners' 7-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.

Raleigh hammered a 97 mph fastball from José Fermin (2-2) 416 feet into the right-field bleachers for his second homer in eight games since winning the Home Run Derby.

Julio Rodríguez hit his fourth solo homer in three games at Angel Stadium, and Randy Arozarena also connected for the Mariners.

George Kirby (5-5) struck out nine over six difficult innings of five-hit ball to earn his fourth win in five starts despite not matching his 14-strikeout performance at Angel Stadium last month. Kirby fanned Luis Rengifo on a slider with the bases loaded to end the sixth.

Taylor Ward hit his 24th homer for the Angels, who have lost five of six.

Tyler Anderson yielded six hits and two runs while pitching inefficiently into the fifth. The veteran left-hander and Angels trade candidate has a 5.66 ERA in his last four starts.

Rodríguez connected in the third, adding his 18th homer of the season to his solo shot Thursday and two more in the Mariners' loss Friday.

Arozarena led off the fourth with his 20th homer, reaching the milestone for the fifth consecutive season.

Yoán Moncada, another Angels trade candidate, left in pain after Kirby's fastball hit him in the hand. X-rays were negative.

Dominic Canzone bolstered Seattle's lead with a two-run single in the sixth after Raleigh’s homer, and Jorge Polanco scored moments later on Rengifo's error at second base.

Raleigh is the seventh catcher in major league history to hit 40 homers in a season. It's been done nine times overall — twice by Johnny Bench and Mike Piazza.

Kyle Hendricks (5-7, 4.92 ERA) pitches for Los Angeles in the series finale Sunday against Logan Gilbert (3-3, 3.07).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh gestures after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Seattle Mariners Randy Arozarena, right, poses with Seattle Mariners Julio Rodríguez after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh is greeted by teammates after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison Friday in the first verdict from eight criminal trials over the martial law debacle that forced him out of office and other allegations.

Yoon was impeached, arrested and dismissed as president after his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024 triggered huge public protests calling for his ouster.

The most significant criminal charge against him alleges that his martial law enforcement amounted to a rebellion, and the independent counsel has requested the death sentence in the case that is to be decided in a ruling next month.

In Friday's case, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Yoon for defying attempts to detain him, fabricating the martial law proclamation and sidestepping a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting.

Yoon has maintained he didn’t intend to place the country under military rule for an extended period, saying his decree was only meant to inform the people about the danger of the liberal-controlled parliament obstructing his agenda. But investigators have viewed Yoon’s decree as an attempt to bolster and prolong his rule, charging him with rebellion, abuse of power and other criminal offenses.

Judge Baek Dae-hyun said in the televised ruling that imposing “a grave punishment” was necessary because Yoon hasn’t shown remorse and has only repeated “hard-to-comprehend excuses.” The judge also restoring legal systems damaged by Yoon’s action was necessary.

Yoon, who can appeal the ruling, hasn’t immediately publicly responded to the ruling. But when the independent counsel demanded a 10-year prison term in the case, Yoon’s defense team accused them of being politically driven and lacking legal grounds to demand such “an excessive” sentence.

Prison sentences in the multiple, smaller trials Yoon faces would matter if he is spared the death penalty or life imprisonment at the rebellion trial.

Park SungBae, a lawyer who specializes in criminal law, said there is little chance the court would decide Yoon should face the death penalty in the rebellion case. He said the court will likely issue a life sentence or a sentence of 30 years or more in prison.

South Korea has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since 1997 and courts rarely hand down death sentences. Park said the court would take into account that Yoon’s decree didn’t cause casualties and didn’t last long, although Yoon hasn’t shown genuine remorse for his action.

A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shouts slogans outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs and flags outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A supporter of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol waits for a bus carrying former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs as police officers stand guard outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs and flags outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Supporters of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hold signs outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A picture of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is placed on a board as supporters gather outside Seoul Central District Court, in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)