Esmerlyn Valdez Hits 461-Foot Blast, Continues Torrid Stretch for Pirates
Pirates rookie outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez has serious power, and his latest swing showed just how much thunder he has in his bat.
“He’s crazy,” said teammate Tyler Callihan. “I saw it in Triple-A, I see it (batting practice), he has power like I’ve never seen before. He can go oppo to the river. I’m not shocked it’s going to happen at some point.”
In the bottom of the eighth inning of the Pirates’ 9-5 win over the Reds on Sunday afternoon, Valdez hit a mammoth 461-foot home run way over the left-center notch in the deepest part of the stadium. It was the seventh-longest homer hit by a Pirate at PNC Park.
“It feels great,” Valdez said through coach/interpreter Stephen Morales after the game. “I think it’s one of the longest home runs of my career.”
Valdez’s home run off Pierce Johnson immediately followed a Ryan O’Hearn three-run home run after a lengthy rain delay of over one hour paused Pittsburgh’s series finale against Cincinnati.
At the start of the delay, the Pirates had a one-run lead over the Reds. O’Hearn’s three run home run was the dagger, and Valdez’s bomb was the exclamation point. It was the third time the Pirates have hit back-to-back homers this season.
“He’s got a lot of power and he’s fun to watch,” said O’Hearn.
Valdez’s home run was his third in as many games for the Pirates. The 22-year-old hit a solo homer in the first game of the series against the Reds. He hit a pinch-hit go-ahead home run in the eighth inning of Saturday’s game and looked like the hero before the Pirates blew the save in the ninth and lost.
Valdez became the first Pirates rookie to homer in three straight games since Kevin Newman did so from June 26-28, 2019.
“It’s the work that I’ve been doing. It’s reflecting in the game,” he said. “I feel more confident when it comes to swinging the bat and my approach.”
In addition to his home run, Valdez finished a triple shy of the cycle, drew a walk and scored two runs, marking his first-career three-hit game.
Over his last six game, Valdez is slashing .500/.526/1.167 with three doubles, three home runs and five RBI.
With a couple of injured regulars in center fielder Oneil Cruz and first baseman Spencer Horwitz, Valdez is getting more-regular opportunities and is cashing in. With his current torrid stretch, he now carries a .262/.311/.690 batting line with five homers and 10 RBI in 15 games. No player has a higher slugging percentage (minimum 40 plate appearances) than he does.
“I just want to go out there and play my game and continue to do what I know and that is playing baseball.”
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