Homering in losses ‘not that fun’ for Stanton
MIAMI — Individually, Giancarlo Stanton is enjoying an encouraging bounceback season.
But against the backdrop of another disappointing loss against the Philadelphia Phillies, Stanton said he didn’t enjoy his latest notable accomplishment at the plate.
With another home run Wednesday afternoon, Stanton continued a torrid power streak of late that has him on pace to comfortably eclipse his personal best in homers.
Stanton homered in the first inning Wednesday, as he did in all three games of the Phillies series.
But only on Monday, when Stanton hit two home runs, did the Marlins triumph over the team with the worst record in baseball.
“Honestly, if you’re going to lose, lose a series, it’s whatever,” Stanton said. “I don’t really care. If it’s not enough to help (the team) win, then personal stuff (doesn’t matter). I’ve had enough personal stuff. If we don’t win, it’s not that fun.”
Stanton has nine home runs in his past 11 games and that total broke the club record for home runs in July.
Stanton’s solo homer Wednesday landed in the shrubbery next to the home run sculpture in center field, traveling 437 feet, according to Statcast.
Stanton became the fastest player in Marlins history to reach 30 home runs in a season, doing it in 93 games, surpassing Mike Lowell, who reached the mark in 110 games in 2003.
Stanton reached 30 home runs in a season for the fourth time in his career and is on pace to shatter his career mark of 37. He also has a chance to break the franchise’s single-season record of 42, set by Gary Sheffield in 1996.
Stanton has hit one home run every 11.5 at-bats this season, which is better than his 12.1 average in 2012, when he hit 37. His best rate was in 2015, when he hit one every 10.3 at-bats. But that season was cut short after he broke the hamate bone in his left hand.
His four homers in the three-game series with the Phillies this week totaled an estimated 1,706 feet.
Injury updates: Manager Don Mattingly said an MRI revealed no significant damage to Martin Prado’s knee. Prado was placed on the 10-day disabled list late Monday night after he suffered a sprain in the third inning, fielding a ground ball.
“We’ll wait during this road trip, start activity and see what happens from there,” Mattingly said.
The Marlins got a bit of a scare early in Wednesday’s game when Derek Dietrich went crashing into the wall in foul ground while sliding to catch a pop-up. Dietrich initially grabbed his left knee, but got up and walked into the dugout.
Dietrich remained in the game until the seventh inning, when shortstop Miguel Rojas, who played his first game since coming off the disabled list Tuesday, moved over to third.
Mattingly said the move was only a routine double switch meant to keep Vance Worley on the mound and avoid using any more relievers in the game.
“As the game went on, I think (Dietrich) was fine,” Mattingly said.
Noteworthy: Junichi Tazawa is having his best pitching stretch as a Marlin this month.
Tazawa, who entered July with a 7.50 ERA, has not allowed a run in his past nine innings pitched, which came over eight appearances this month. His season ERA has dropped to 5.00. Masters-DNP, US Open-Cut
Johnson lost a lot of momentum with that slip down the stairs that knocked him out of the Masters. He hasn’t played the weekend of a major since the British Open last year (two missed cuts and a withdrawal) and hasn’t played since missing the cut at the U.S. Open. Masters-Won, U.S. Open-T21
The Masters champion has a lot on his plate. He is getting married right after the Open, and then has another major right behind it. Then again, lowered expectations seem to work out well for Garcia, and links golf is a passion. Garcia has more top 10s in the Open than any other major.
27
11 Masters-Cut, US Open-Cut
Stenson runs in streaks, and he’s on the wrong end of one going into his title defense. He hasn’t won since his record performance last year at Royal Troon, and he missed the cut in both majors this year. That doesn’t bode well for his chances of being the first player to keep the claret jug since Tiger Woods in 2006.
(2015) Masters-T22, U.S. Open-Cut
Day was hopeful of keeping the No. 1 ranking for the entire calendar year, and now he is
No. 6. Whether it was the distraction of his mother’s health or a loss of confidence, he is close to becoming an afterthought at the biggest events. Day’s only chance of winning this year was a playoff loss at the Byron Nelson.