MLB homer mark set to fall Tuesday

Giancarlo Stanton’s smacks, Aaron Judge’s jolts and all those dizzying long balls helped Major League Baseball move another poke closer to the inevitable.

Nearly two decades after the height of the Steroids Era, the sport is on track to break its season record for home runs Tuesday — and not just top the old mark but smash it like one of those upper-deck shots that have become commonplace in the Summer of the Slugger.

There were 5,663 home runs hit through Sunday, 30 shy of the record set in 2000.

Juiced balls? Watereddown pitching? Stanton’s renaissance? Sensational starts by Judge and Cody Bellinger?

“I don’t think that we are ever going to have a single explanation for exactly why we’ve see so many,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said. “But players are bigger and stronger. They’re playing a little differently, in terms of the way they swing. Pitchers throw harder.

“The one thing I remain comfortable with: Nothing about the baseball, according to our testing, is materially different.”

There were 5,610 homers last year, an average of 2.31 per game, and this year’s average of 2.53 projects to 6,143. That would be up 47 percent from 4,186 in 2014.

In three years, home runs will have increased by 1,957 — an extra 149 miles of long balls at this year’s average home run length of 400 feet.

Already 107 players have hit 20 homers this year, three shy of the record set last season — and up from 64 in 2015, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Along with sailing shots come strikeouts, which will set a record for the 10th consecutive year. There were 36,964 whiffs through Sunday, an average of 8.25 per team per game that translates to 40,099.

■ Padres: Outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Travis Jankowski and right-hander Tim Melville were recalled from El Paso, the contracts of catcher Rocky Gale and third baseman Christian Villanueva were purchased from the Triple-a club, and shortstop Dusty Coleman and right-hander Jose Valdez were designated for assignment.

■ Tigers: Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann (neck strain), who hasn’t started since Sept. 2, threw a successful 45-pitch bullpen session and could return to Detroit’s rotation Thursday, manager Brad Ausmus said.

■ Mets: Shortstop Amed Rosario (upset stomach) was scratched from New York’s lineup, prompting manager Terry Collins to shift Jose Reyes to shortstop and put Gavin Cecchini at second base.

■ Red Sox: Second baseman Dustin Pedroia exited Boston’s game at Baltimore after a foul ball bounced up and hit him in the face, causing his nose to bleed.

■ Pirates: Catcher Francisco Cervelli (left quad strain) was shut down for the rest of the regular season, manager Clint Hurdle said.

■ Marlins: Shortstop Miguel Rojas will undergo an MRI examination Tuesday on his ailing left shoulder, manager Don Mattingly said.

■ Athletics: Jharel Cotton (right groin strain) was scratched from his scheduled start and replaced by fellow righthander Raul Alcantara.