MLBbro Home Run Leaders | These Black Knights Are So Thorough We Need A List
We all know how important the home run is in today’s game, and so far, these five bros have been the best Black Bombers this season.
Aaron Judge – 29 Home Runs
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge leads The Bigs this season with 28 bombs and counting, and he’s carried this lead for the majority of the season. Judge has cooled off as of late, with only two home runs and a .407 slugging percentage in his last seven games, but even when he’s off the Bronx Bomber still seems to hit timely bombs.
Yesterday it was in the first inning, when Aaron sent a 3-2 sinker 429 feet into the upper deck to give the Yankees an early lead against the Oakland Athletics. They went on to win the game 5-3 and for now added another half game to their staggering lead in the AL East.
Even with the recent slowdown from Judge, the Yankees are running away with the AL East and look poised to make one of their deepest playoff runs in recent memory.
Byron Buxton – 20 Home Runs
This season marks the first time in his career that Buxton has reached the 20 home run plateau in his career, and he managed to do so in 23 less at bats than it took him to reach 19 home runs last season.
So far this season, 20 of Buxton’s 50 hits have been home runs, and the Twins veteran has increased his production against breaking balls. Buxton is currently slugging .667 against breaking balls this season, a .062 increase from his output last year. Eight of his 20 home runs have come on breaking pitches.
Giancarlo Stanton – 19 Home Runs
Boom or bust has been the narrative for Giancarlo Stanton’s entire tenure in the Bronx, and this recent stretch is no different. Stantons last six hits for the Yankees have all been home runs, including a three run bomb Monday afternoon in their 5-3 victory we mentioned earlier.
Stanton’s .208 average and .321 on base percentage are nothing crazy, but his .833 slugging percentage over the same span show you the elite level of power Giancarlo adds to this Yankees lineup.
He remains in the top percentile for exit velocity and barrel percentage, so chances are more of those missiles will begin to find the seats instead of opponents gloves. It’s going to be a long summer in the Bronx.
Mookie Betts – 17 Homeruns
Mookie’s bounce back year was rolling along before this recent trip to the disabled list, and despite the 2-30 slump he was in before he made that trip, Betts had seen his power make a comeback.
Last season, Mookie battled through injury to hit 23 homeruns in 466 at bats. So far this season, he had cranked out 17 bombs in just 245 at bats. Betts was expected to return in two weeks, but Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts has extended that timeline.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. – 14 Homeruns
Jazz is another player on pace to set a career high in homers in almost half the at bats. The budding star has hit 14 home runs in 213 plate appearances, after hitting 18 in 464 last season. Chisholm has remained in the 90th percentile of barrel rate all season, so he’s making some of the best contact of his career.
The National League’s leading vote getter at Second Base was just placed on IL after suffering a lower back strain on a check swing against the St. Louis Cardinals.
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