Power’s on, juice out: Rob

SAN DIEGO — Home run numbers are up this season, but commissioner Rob Manfred thinks any links to either performance-enhancing drug use or changes in the baseball are simply juiced.

Teams are averaging 1.16 homers per game this season, up from 1.01 last season and the highest rate since the 1.17 mark in 2000. That, of course, was during the height of the steroid era, but Manfred seems unconcerned.

“The increase in the number of home runs takes place against a very, very different backdrop,” Manfred said during his annual Q&A with the Baseball Writers Association of America, noting that the league performs 22,000 drugs tests per year. “I am much less concerned because of that backdrop that this is due to performance-enhancing drugs.”

Rather than PED use, Manfred believes the jump “has to do with the way pitchers pitch and the way hitters are being taught to play the game.

“We think it has more to do with the game this time around, because we’re comfortable we’re doing everything we can on the performance-enhancing front.”

Manfred also shot down the theory that the baseballs are juiced, noting that the balls have been tested and are the same as they were last season.

NOAH FEELS FINE

Noah Syndergaard said he played catch before Tuesday’s AllStar Game and his arm felt “fine.” The Mets right-hander sat out his first AllStar Game after pulling himself from his last start with “dead arm.” Syndergaard said he expected to throw a light bullpen when the team is in Philadelphia this weekend. Terry Collins said he expects Syndergaard to start in the following series against the Cubs.

STANTON ‘A BEAST’

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Giancarlo Stanton’s powerpacked display in Monday night’s Home Run Derby was a hot topic during Tuesday’s pregame.

“What the ‘Human Avatar’ did last night, wow, that was impressive,” David Ortiz said. A puzzled reporter asked Ortiz what he was talking about. “Look at Stanton; what do you think he looks like?”

Robinson Cano won the event in 2011 and participated again in 2012 and 2013. He took a hiatus last year, but decided to participate again this year so his young son could be on the field with him to experience the night.

Then he got matched up in the first round against Stanton, who hit 24 homers before Cano got to take his hacks. “He’s a beast,” Cano said. “I almost switched. I almost let my dad hit and I was going to pitch.”

SWEET HOME

Daniel Murphy has a whole new perspective on the All-Star Game. Sure, the Nationals second baseman knew the game had consequences when he went in 2014, but after playing in the 2015 World Series, he knows how valuable home-field advantage is.

The Royals had home-field against the Mets in the World Series last fall thanks to the American League’s All-Star victory in Cincinnati, winning each of the first two games before heading back to New York.

“I would have much rather been at Citi Field last year than Kauffman Stadium for the first two games,” Murphy said. “This definitely has a lot of meaning. Home-field advantage is a big deal.”

And the AL will have it again this year after Tuesday’s night 4-2 win. — With Kristie Ackert