Updated

Updated · MLB Trade Rumors · Jun 10

Athletics Tie Franchise Mark With 12 Homers in 2 Games as Vegas Power Surge Continues

Updated

Updated · MLB Trade Rumors · Jun 10

Athletics Tie Franchise Mark With 12 Homers in 2 Games as Vegas Power Surge Continues

Q: Is the Athletics' home run record a true power surge or an illusion created by their Las Vegas ballpark?

It looks more like a real power display amplified by an extreme hitting environment than a pure team-wide breakout. The Athletics do have legitimate power bats. Nick Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, Brent Rooker and others have supplied home-run production all season, and the club ranks among the better home-run teams in the league. That makes the 12 homers in two games more than a random fluke. But the setting matters a great deal. Las Vegas Ballpark is unusually favorable to hitters: it sits about 2,000 feet above sea level, the hot desert air reduces drag, and wind can help carry fly balls. Reporting around this series estimated the park can boost home-run rates dramatically, and one of the recent Athletics homers reportedly would not have left any standard MLB park. That is strong evidence the venue is inflating totals. The broader run environment supports that view. Las Vegas Ballpark has long been known in Triple-A as an offensive launching pad, and even with relatively deep dimensions, the altitude and weather still make it play small. The Athletics’ two-game burst, including a franchise-record-tying 12 homers, fits that pattern. So the safest reading is that the Athletics’ surge is not an illusion in the sense of fake power; they have real sluggers. But this particular record-chasing outburst was heavily boosted by Las Vegas conditions, which make the power look bigger than it likely would in a neutral park.

3 articles · Updated · MLB Trade Rumors · Jun 10

Five home runs on Tuesday gave the Athletics 12 across two games, tying the franchise record after they hit seven in Monday’s extra-inning loss.
Henry Bolte added his first career homer in the second inning off Robert Gasser, extending the outburst at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Bolte has handled his first 25 major-league games well, posting a 114 wRC+ while joining the club’s recent power push.
The Athletics still have four more games in Las Vegas this week, giving the surge a chance to continue on the same hitter-friendly stage.