How did he hit that out?! Witt takes a pitch 4.07 feet high off the ground deep
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It's no secret Bobby Witt Jr. has been on an absolute tear, slashing an absurd .453/.505/.832 with a 1.337 OPS since the All-Star break. The 24-year-old Royals superstar added a new feat to his résumé on Wednesday against the Twins at Target Field with a particularly impressive homer.
Witt hit an elevated fastball -- an out-of-the-zone elevated fastball -- to the visiting bullpen for his 24th home run of the season. The 97 mph fastball was 4.07 feet above the ground, the highest pitch hit for a homer by a Royals player since 2008 when tracking became available.
“I think when you’re on time, you can do a lot of good things,” Witt said. “So just trying to be on time with the pitch and just let things happen.”
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Witt’s home run against a pitch 4.07 feet above the ground made it the third-highest pitch hit for a home run this season, excluding against position players -- like Matt Chapman’s home run against a pitch 4.18 feet off the ground on a 43.3 mph fastball from Ben Rortvedt on April 13. Only CJ Abrams (4.42 feet on Aug. 6) and Ernie Clement (4.21 feet on April 21) hit home runs against higher pitches that weren’t considered lobs by a non-pitcher.
Witt’s home run was even more impressive considering he did so against a 97 mph heater. In the Statcast era (since 2015), Witt’s home run against a pitch 4.07 feet off the ground is tied for the 10th-highest home run on a pitch thrown 95-plus mph.
“That’s what I always try to be ready for, the fastball,” Witt said. “I was ready for that one.”
Before Wednesday’s home run, the highest pitch Witt homered against was a 96.9 mph fastball from Bryan Abreu on April 11 this season that was 3.73 feet off the ground.