Statcast said a Yankees player hit a 680-foot home run on Monday
Here’s a bold prediction for the 2020 Major League Baseball season: no one will hit a ball farther than Mike Ford did on Monday night. At least by Statcast estimates.
Ford, the Yankees first baseman, clubbed a massive home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of an exhibition game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
There was no doubt it was going to clear the fence at Yankee Stadium.
There is some doubt, however, that the baseball traveled an estimated 680 feet.
That was the distance Statcast estimated.
Here is the home run, and the camera operator seemed to lose track of the ball’s flight:
In this iteration of Yankee Stadium, it is 408 feet to center field and 314 feet to right field.
For a little perspective, here are the longest home runs of the past five years (via Statcast):
2019: Nomar Mazara, Rangers: 505 feet
2018: Franchy Cordero, Padres: 489 feet
2017: Aaron Judge, Yankees: 495 feet
2016: Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins: 504 feet
2015: Michael Taylor, Nationals: 493 feet
So, sure, there is some doubt that Ford hit a ball 176 feet farther than anyone on that list. Here are some of the funny responses to that estimate.
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 9:05 AM.
