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On Thursday afternoon, Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement came up to the plate in the bottom of the second with no outs and a runner at first. In a 1-2 count against Los Angeles Angels pitcher Mike Baumann, not only did he hit a home run, but Clement now owns the record for the highest pitch hit in Blue Jays history.
The 96.7 MPH fastball from Baumann was 4.60 feet off the ground when Clement made contact with it, making it the second-highest pitch hit for a home run in the pitch-tracking era (2008). The Toronto infielder's 10th of the season gives him three straight games with a home run.
Clement’s towering blast was no ordinary home run. The only pitch higher than the one Clement connected with was a 4.61-foot pitch hit by Kyle Higashioka in 2022, according to Statcast data,
The difficulty of hitting such a pitch cannot be overstated. Clement even admitted he shouldn't have taken a hack at the one he hit Thursday, via ESPN.
“I probably shouldn't be swinging at pitches like that one,” Clement said. “I've struck out on that pitch a couple of times this year. I just try to get the barrel to the ball with two strikes.”
The home run added to Toronto's early lead, and they scored five runs in that second inning. The Blue Jays have now won four straight games against the Angels and have emerged victorious in eight of their last ten meetings going back to last season.
Blue Jays' balanced attack
Toronto’s win was a testament to their well-rounded approach. Starting pitcher Ryan Burr, who was pushed up to start the game to give regulars additional rest, allowed two hits before being replaced by left-hander Ryan Yarbrough. Yarbrough delivered five shutout innings, scattering three singles and striking out four.
His performance was highly regarded and crafted quite the scene in Blue Jays manager John Schneider's mind.
“It was like Bob Ross,” Schneider said. “He was painting.”
The Blue Jays also benefited from contributions across their lineup. Joey Loperfido added a triple and scored on an RBI groundout by George Springer, while Clement’s 380-foot home run to left field was his 10th of the season. He became the second Blue Jays player this year to hit home runs in three consecutive games, joining none other than Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Ernie Clement's home run has not only gone viral but also underscored the unpredictability and excitement of baseball. As the season nears an end, the Blue Jays appear to be improving, but it might be too little, too late. But as we saw from Clement’s remarkable feat, anything can happen in baseball, reminding fans of the game’s inherent drama and unpredictability.
