LOS ANGELES — Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker couldn't even start to explain why he's crushing baseballs at Dodger Stadium with unearthly pace.
The Diamondbacks put collectively a terrific staff victory Wednesday at Chavez Ravine, overcoming an early 4-1 deficit with 11 unanswered runs to even their collection towards the Dodgers.
Walker drove in 4 runs in a 4-for-5 efficiency that included two dwelling runs. He was inches away from three dingers when he hit the double wall in left.
Christian Walker LOVES hitting at Dodger Stadium.
2 HR tonight, 17 HR in 41 profession video games 🤯 pic.twitter.com/oMBjzSZypd
— MLB (@MLB) July 4, 2024
Walker already has seven dwelling runs in aggressive video games towards the Dodgers this season, together with two multi-home runs. He has 5 homers in as many video games at Dodger Stadium, however his dominance on the park extends past 2024.
“It's simply a type of issues,” Walker mentioned. “There's no rhyme or motive to it … I feel anytime you play effectively in a park, there's just a few parks within the league the place there's one thing totally different on the batter's field and possibly the lights, possibly simply the visuals, however simply certainly one of them .” issues, not likely one specific factor.”
“It's nearly a humorous joke that he hits one or two each collection when he comes right here, and he's performed that,” supervisor Torey Lovullo added. “He's in such place.
By the numbers: Christian Walker's dominance at Dodger Stadium
17 dwelling runs
Walker has 17 profession homers at Chavez Ravine relationship to 2018. That's essentially the most hit by an opposing participant throughout that stretch by six, based on MLB researcher Sarah Langs.
He’s additionally tied for essentially the most dwelling runs at Dodger Stadium by a Diamondbacks participant in franchise historical past with Luis Gonzalez and Paul Goldschmidt. Gonzalez bought there in 282 plate appearances and Goldschmidt in 270.
Walker has solely 147 profession plate appearances on the sphere.
“Truthfully, it's only a humorous baseball factor,” Walker mentioned. “I want I had one thing for you, but it surely's simply a type of issues.
5
Walker has 5 homers in his final 4 video games at what Wikipedia briefly known as “Christian Walker Stadium.”
Based on Langs, the record of gamers who’ve completed the feat is 2024 Walker, 2021 Fernando Tatis Jr., 2013 Hunter Pence, 2001 Gonzalez and 1979 Mike Schmidt. And it’s performed. The Dodgers moved for the 1962 season.
41 video games
Walker has performed 41 video games at Dodger Stadium, so he’s hitting .415 dwelling runs per recreation. Stretched to a 162 recreation season, Walker was on tempo for greater than 67 dwelling runs.
To place that into context, Barry Bonds holds the single-season report with 73. Mark McGwire has 70. Subsequent on the record is Sammy Sosa with 66.
“I want I may put my finger on it,” Lovullo mentioned. “A stroll right here will need to have a extremely good view. Should love the surroundings. He shrinks this area in addition to anybody I've ever seen.”
Nobody in Dodgers historical past has performed this:
most HRs in 1. 41 profession video games at Dodger Stadium:
Christian Walker: 17
Cody Bellinger: 15 https://t.co/gSA4p2p6Pe— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 4, 2024
3 slugs
Walker is certainly one of three gamers to hit a minimum of 17 dwelling runs within the reverse park since 2018. The opposite two are Aaron Choose (19) at Camden Yards in Baltimore and Mike Trout (18) at T-Cellular Park in Seattle.
1 recreation
Sadly for Walker, the D-backs solely have one recreation at Dodger Stadium this season in Thursday's collection finale. The 2 sides are 4-4 towards one another this yr and can play 4 video games at Chase Subject beginning on August thirtieth.
Christian Walker continues to crush baseballs at Dodger Stadium, however he can't clarify why he has a lot success on this park in comparison with others. pic.twitter.com/O7l9N5JUBf
— Arizona Sports activities (@AZSports) July 4, 2024
20 dwelling runs
No matter his dominance at Dodger Stadium, Walker hit the 20-homer mark for the third straight yr and fourth time with the D-backs.
He’s tied with Bryce Harper for essentially the most dwelling runs by a Nationwide League first baseman and leads the group with 59 RBI. He’s third behind Harper and Los Angeles' Freddie Freeman in OPS (.845) and slugging (.506).
The All-Star Recreation is lower than two weeks away. Harper was voted the NL first baseman however is on the injured record with a low hamstring pressure. He may return earlier than the All-Star break.
Reserves are collected on participant ballots and within the commissioner's workplace.
“I hope he will get very robust consideration,” Lovullo — who will handle the NL — mentioned of Walker's case. “I'd prefer to take him to Texas with us.