660: Pujols one away from Mays’ home run mark.
Albert Pujols is sitting on 659 home runs, one shy of Willie Mays, and Pujols has a chance to hit his 660th against Mays’ old team.
The Giants play the Angels the next four games, twice in Anaheim and twice in San Francisco.
“Well, if I’m in the game and I’m pitching, maybe he hits it off me,” quipped catcher Tyler Heineman, who was summoned for mopup duty in the final inning of Sunday’s 153 loss to the A’s.
In reality, Heineman would hope he wouldn’t pitch anytime soon. Unless, of course, the Giants — and not their opponent — own a huge lead.
Lefty Tyler Anderson and
Trevor Cahill are scheduled to start the first two games, and Johnny Cueto and Kevin Gausman are lined up to start the next two.
Mays hit 646 homers with the Giants and his final 14 with the New York Mets, including No. 660 on Aug. 17, 1973, against Cincinnati’s Don Gullett.
The Say Hey Kid is fifth in homers behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Alex Rodriguez (696).
Heineman, who grew up in Los Angeles, said he was a Pujols fan as a kid because he loved the St. Louis Cardinals.
“My favorite player was David Eckstein — sorry, Giants fans,” said Heineman, referencing the Angels’ shortstop in the 2002 World Series, which the Giants lost in seven games.
“When he was with the Cardinals, I loved Pujols, (Jim) Edmonds, (Jason) Isringhausen. I mean, you name it. All the guys. Pujols was one of my favorites.”
Pujols, 40, is hitting .186 with three homers and eight RBIs. He played 13 games at first base, two as the designated hitter and hasn’t homered since Aug. 4, a span of 30 atbats.
Of course, Mike Trout is the show in Anaheim with nine homers, eight of which have come from his dad strength — since the July 30 birth of his child. Trout and Mookie Betts are considered the closest players in the modern game to
Mays because of their fivetool talents.
“He’s the best in the world,” Heineman said of Trout. “It’s an honor to share the same field with him.”
Trout’s first full season in the majors was 2013, the year Heineman was drafted by the Astros. His younger brother, Scott, an outfielder with the Rangers, more closely followed Trout’s early career.
“He’s his favorite player,” Tyler Heineman said. “I think my brother hits exactly like him. Tries to.”