Christian Yelich Is On Pace To Hit 162 Dingers This Season

It’s easy to make a wisecrack like this article’s headline on Opening Day, when a player smashes one out of the park to begin the season. But when that statement still rings true by the time game four rolls around, the dad joke goes from silly to pretty damn special.

Last season’s National League MVP, Christian Yelich, became the sixth MLB player to hit a home run in each of his team’s first four games of the season. The other names on that list include Trevor Story (2016), Chris Davis (2013), Nelson Cruz (2011), Mark McGwire (1998), and Willie Mays (1971). But his achievement stands out a little bit more than those guys because he’s the first one to do it as reigning MVP. His latest dinger came in the bottom of the first against the Cardinals, which he smacked deep into right field for added effect.

That was cool, but even cooler was his third homer of the season, which he hit in the bottom of the first against the Cardinals on Saturday. Apparently, it even earned a kid in the stands a puppy.

And here’s No. 2 and 1.

Yelich will have a chance to extend his streak on Monday against the Reds and stand alone as the only player to hit a home run in five consecutive games to start a season. The expected pitcher in that game will be Tanner Roark, who gave up the most homers of his career last season. Roark’s dinger count has been steadily increasing on an annual basis, so fans of records getting shattered can be, uhh, a little bit optimistic.