Giancarlo Stanton credits Home Run Derby for hot start to second half

It is hard to imagine that Giancarlo Stanton‘s home run swing is ever anything less than dialed in, but Stanton insists that he has it going more than usual at the moment.

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Stanton says that the reason his swing feels better right now, with a couple home runs this weekend as evidence, is because of his participation in the Home Run Derby earlier this week up in Minneapolis. As quoted by Joe Frisaro of MLB.com:

"“Having to lock in for the Derby made me feel better. I wasn’t myself the last couple of weeks. The short time off and the Derby kind of helped me out. I think it will be all right……I had to lock in. I had to get my swing in the perfect groove.”"

It must be nice, I would imagine, to go through a stretch where you don’t feel like yourself and still come out on the other side of it with a .295/.395/.552 slash line to go along with 23 home runs. And if that means that Stanton is going to hit even more home runs while his swing feels better, then that is a scary thought for opposing pitchers.

Of all the swings Stanton took in the Home Run Derby, I am willing to bet that this one made him and his swing feel especially good as the second half of the season got underway.