Rhys Hoskins a rookie with the Philadelphia Phillies became the fastest Major League Baseball player to reach 10 career home runs. That was on Saturday, as he hit No. 10 in just his seventeenth career game.
On Sunday, he hit another one out of the park giving him 11 homers in just his first 18 games.
The one game in which Hoskins failed to hit a homer was the second game of a doubleheader. Hoskins has hit a homer in five consecutive games after going deep in his last game on Sunday.
Just 29 times during the history of baseball has there been a longer streak by a player for home runs in consecutive games.
The all-time record is held by Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. at eight consecutive games in 1993, Don Mattingly in 1987 and Dale Long in 1956.
Earlier this season, Miami’s Gaincarlo Stanton hit a home run in six consecutive games.
In only 18 games, Phillies rookie Hoskins has a slash line of .297/.408/.828 with 11 home runs and 24 RBIs. Hoskins is 24 and was picked in the fifth round of the 2014 draft.
Speaking of Stanton, he hit No. 50 on Sunday. He is the first player in the National League to reach 50 home runs in a season since 2007 when Prince Fielder accomplished the feat.
The last time 50 home runs were hit in any league was 2013 when Chris Davis with the Baltimore Orioles hit 53.
Given it is only August 28, the feat is amazing. In addition, Stanton has now hit 17 home runs during August. The most homers ever hit in August in any season were 18 by Rudy York in 1937.
Stanton has another 33 games left on the regular season schedule and has a solid shot at hitting 60. There have been only five players to reach 60 homes runs and they include Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds.
At the rate he is now going, Stanton may reach 65 and maybe even reach the 73 Bonds hit to set the single season record. However, he would have to remain hot like he currently is but he has a shot.
