Giancarlo Stanton hits 56th home run of season (video)
The Miami Marlins might not be in the playoffs, but outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is giving the fans something to love, smashing his 56th homer of the year.
Stanton is one of the greatest players in the sport today, although he may not get the love he gets. In a division with sluggers including Rhys Hopkins, Bryce Harper, Yoenis Cespedes and Freddie Freeman, Stanton stands above the rest.
On Wednesday, Stanton mashed his 56th home run of the season, putting him five away from Roger Maris’ 61 in 1961. While Maris has since been eclipsed by Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, many believe that Maris holds the true record as the others were found to have use steroids.
56 is a rocket indeed. pic.twitter.com/hQbTYENSMF
— MLB (@MLB) September 20, 2017
As of Alex Gordon’s home run on Tuesday night for the Kansas City Royals, no season has ever seen more dingers than 2017. Some point to what they believe is a juiced ball, while others see a renaissance in hitting after a long lull following the Steroid Era.
Regardless, Stanton is giving us a season for the ages. To this point, the California native is hitting .279 with 56 home runs and 120 RBI. Only Nolan Arenado has more RBI in all of Major League Baseball, knocking in 125 for the Colorado Rockies.
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While the home run has been seen often this year, only Stanton has more than 38 homers in the National League. In the American League, Aaron Judge has 44, with nobody else cracking the 40-homer barrier.
At 72-80, the Marlins sit second in the National League East behind the Washington Nationals, who have already clinched the division.