Just last week I wrote about how Ervin Santana was on pace to allow the third-most homers in baseball history, but now he’s not even the MLB leader in long balls allowed this season.
Phil Hughes took over that honor by serving up four homers in 4.1 innings against the Braves today and has now allowed 19 homers in 78.1 innings overall this season compared to 18 homers in 89 innings for Santana.
Oddly enough Hughes’ last outing versus the Nationals on June 15 was the only time in 13 starts this season that he hadn’t allowed a homer. So of course he allowed four today to make up for it. It’s also worth noting that despite all the homers Hughes had given up two or fewer runs in six of his last seven starts before this afternoon’s quick hook.
Assuming he stays in the Yankees’ rotation to make 33 starts, Hughes’s current pace would equal 45 homers, narrowly avoiding a top-three spot all time.
