Giancarlo Stanton homered off the top of the center-field batter's eye at PNC Park
The preeminent target for sluggers at PNC Park in Pittsburgh is usually the Allegheny River, beyond the right-field wall. Many a power hitter has sent impressive shots into the river, like former Bucco
During Friday night's 12-7 win, however,
The ball was absolutely demolished, 110.6 mph off the bat and 449 feet away, according to Statcast. He now has 40 homers of at least 110 mph in the Statcast Era, 14 more than anyone else.
Perhaps the craziest part about Stanton's prodigious blast is that it might have reached the Allegheny River if it went a couple inches further and took a different bounce off the padding. It wasn't too far off from the cameramen, either.
"I need to get it out of the stadium, man," Stanton cracked to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. "It popped back in. Right's a little easier than center. Take what you've got."
It just goes to show that Stanton doesn't always need the home run sculpture to commence target practice. That's a dinger worthy of some high-fives.