Evan Longoria, Christian Walker lead D-backs in no-doubt home runs
Aug 16, 2023, 8:45 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Evan Longoria (3) gets the victory jacket after a baseball game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 30th, 2023, at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ. (Photo by Zac BonDurant/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Zac BonDurant/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After Babe Ruth started crushing home runs in the 1920s, it became clear that everyone digs the long ball.
What’s more, those towering home runs that anyone watching knows is long, long, gone are really cool. Also known as no-doubters, they would be a home run in any ballpark, at any time.
And, according to statistics compiled by Major League Baseball, Evan Longoria leads all players with 10 or more home runs in no-doubter percentage. He has 11 home runs and 10 of them would have been a dinger in any stadium.
That’s a 91% rate.
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His closest competitor is Josh Donaldson of the New York Yankees, who has an 80% no-doubter rate.
As far as total no-doubters, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels leads MLB with 20. Although his rate is 49%.
Christian Walker also has 10 no-doubters within his total 25 home runs so far this season, a 40% no-doubter rate.
Seven of Corbin Carroll’s home runs have been no-doubters as has Lourdes Gurriel’s blasts.
Walker’s total number of no-doubt homers has dipped so far in 2023 compared to 2022. Last season, Walker ended the year with 21 no-doubters, trailing only Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber.
He was also No. 10 in no-doubter percentage of total home runs in 2022, at 58.3%.
No-doubt homers can be elusive for most players. Of those in the top 10 in 2022, only two players are also in the top 10 this year: Schwarber and Austin Riley.
New D-backs acquisition Tommy Pham is No. 11 in rate with 63.6%, the vast majority of which were hit while he was a member of the New York Mets.
Pete Alonzo and Giancarlo Stanton might make the jump into the top 10 by the end of the season, as both are one home run shy of the five players sitting at 14 no-doubters.
