Mike Trout is on a historic birthday home run binge
Friday was Mike Trout’s 29th birthday.
If you’ve been following his Major League Baseball career even casually, you know what’s coming next.
The Los Angeles Angels outfielder has now hit five home runs in seven games played on his birthday — Aug. 7. That’s just one short of the record for birthday home runs.
The current leaders? None other than Alex Rodriguez, who homered six times on July 27 during his 22-year MLB career, and Mark Reynolds, born on Aug. 3.
Happy 29th birthday Mike Trout!
Most HR on Birthday - All-Time
Mark Reynolds: 6
Alex Rodriguez: 6
Todd Helton: 5
Chipper Jones: 5
Derrek Lee: 5
Al Simmons: 5
Mike Trout: 5 (including tonight)#GoAngels— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) August 8, 2020
A-Rod’s last birthday home run came on his 40th. Reynolds hit his sixth at age 34.
It’s possible Trout will have tied or broken the record by age 30. He’s now homered on his 21st, 22nd, 24th, 26th and 29th birthdays.
Mike Trout has now homered on his 21st, 22nd, 24th, 26th and 29th birthdays.
Homer in 5 of 7 career birthday games.— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) August 8, 2020
There’s just something about playing baseball on his birthday that gives Trout some extra pop in his bat. Not that he needs it. But there might be something else fueling his power even more during the 2020 season.
Dad Power
Since the birth of his son, Beckham Aaron Trout, on July 30, Trout has homered four times in four games. That included a home run in his first at-bat off the paternity list Tuesday night in Seattle.
287th career homer for Mike Trout, 1st as a dad. pic.twitter.com/msHJxqsshp
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 5, 2020
Of the 290 home runs Trout has hit during his already storied career, the first as a dad is undoubtedly the most special.
After not being completely sure he would play this season during a pandemic, Trout appears to be more focused than ever. That’s a scary proposition for MLB pitchers.
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