Trout, Pujols rule list of Halos' top '10s homers
ANAHEIM -- The Angels had plenty of memorable home runs over the last decade, including some impressive milestones reached by Albert Pujols and Mike Trout. Here’s a look at the Top 10 homers of the decade for the Halos, featuring plenty of blasts from Pujols and Trout, of course.
1. Angels 7, Twins 2: Pujols reaches 600 homers
Date: June 3, 2017
Pujols made history against Minnesota, becoming the first player to ever hit a grand slam as their 600th career homer. Pujols became just the ninth player to ever reach the 600-homer plateau with his shot off right-hander Ervin Santana in the fourth inning.
2. Angels 13, Mariners 0: Trout honors Skaggs with 454-foot homer
Date: July 12, 2019
In the Angels’ first home game since the sudden passing of left-hander Tyler Skaggs, the players all wore No. 45 to honor his memory. Trout ripped the first pitch he saw from veteran Mike Leake for a homer projected at 454 feet, per Statcast. Trout couldn’t help but note that the homer distance was Skaggs’ jersey number both ways. It was part of an incredible performance by the team that also included Taylor Cole and Félix Peña combining for a no-hitter.
3. Angels 7, Nationals 2: Pujols hits two to get to 500 homers
Date: April 22, 2014
Pujols needed two homers to reach the 500-homer mark and accomplished the feat against the Nationals, hitting both off right-hander Taylor Jordan. Pujols became the third-youngest player to hit his 500th home run, trailing only Alex Rodriguez and Jimmie Foxx.
4. Angels 12, Mariners 0: Trout hits for cycle
Date: May 21, 2013
Trout needed a homer to complete his first career cycle and smacked one in the eighth inning off Lucas Luetge. He became the youngest player in American League history to hit for the cycle and third-youngest in the Majors, dating back to 1930.
5. Angels 13, Indians 2: Ohtani’s first homer with Halos
Date: April 3, 2018
After a rough Spring Training, there were some doubts about Shohei Ohtani's hitting ability entering his first MLB season. But Ohtani quickly put that to rest, crushing a three-run homer as part of a three-hit performance in his second career game as the designated hitter. He homered again the next day off ace Corey Kluber and it set the tone for the his winning AL Rookie of the Year campaign.
6. Angels 5, Orioles 4: Pujols joins 650/650 club
Date: July 28, 2019
Pujols became the sixth player in Major League history to reach 650 homers and the first-ever to join the 650-homer, 650-double club. Pujols smacked a two-run shot in the sixth inning off Dylan Bundy to inaugurate the exclusive club.
7. Angels 5, Mariners 0: Cron helps clinch division
Date: Sept. 17, 2014
The Angels clinched their lone division title of the decade thanks to a three-run shot from C.J. Cron in the seventh inning off reliever Danny Farquhar. The Angels had to wait for the Rangers to beat the A’s that day to officially clinch, but Cron’s homer gave them some breathing room.
8. Angels 6, Royals 3: Trout hits 250th career homer with 473-foot blast
Date: May 18, 2019
Trout reached 250 career homers with a shot that was measured at 473 feet, per Statcast, the second-longest of his career since Statcast was introduced in 2015. Trout absolutely crushed a first-inning homer off Royals right-hander Jakob Junis to become the sixth-fastest player in the AL to reach 250 homers.
9. Angels 8, White Sox 7: Trout fastest Angel to 40 blasts
Date: Aug. 15, 2019
Trout reached an impressive milestone, reaching 40 homers quicker than any Angels player in history, getting there in just 123 team games and breaking Troy Glaus’ club record of reaching 40 homers in 136 games in 2000. Trout, though, couldn’t break Glaus’ club record of 47 in a year, as he underwent season-ending right foot surgery after reaching a career-high 45 blasts en route to AL MVP honors.
10. Angels 5, Rays 3: Ohtani hits for cycle
Date: June 13, 2019
Unlike Trout’s homer to complete the cycle, Ohtani opened his with a three-run shot off Ryan Yarbrough in the first inning. It helped Ohtani become the first Japanese-born player to ever hit for the cycle in the Majors.