After kicking off the series last week where we looked at the 10th longest home run of the 2021 season by a Cincinnati Reds player, we’re back at it today. This week we are looking at a virtual tie with the one we covered last week.
The 9th longest home run hit in 2021 by a Red was clubbed by first baseman Joey Votto. His 442 foot home run came just five days earlier than the 442 foot home run hit by Aristides Aquino that was covered last week. The home run was one of two that Votto hit on the day against Atlanta, with this one coming against Touki Toussaint on a full count that disappeared into the shrubbery in Georgia.
The Video
The Metrics Behind The Blast
On a full count Touki Toussaint opted to go with a 91.4 MPH sinker. Unfortunately for him it didn’t sink and it was about as middle-middle of the zone as you could be and Joey Votto squared it up and sent it to centerfield at 107 MPH for a 2-run homer.
Distance Metrics
Distance: 442 Feet
Reds Rank: 10th (tie – but I had to give someone 9th and someone 10th)
Major League Baseball Rank: 307th (tie)
Joey Votto Rank (2021): 2nd
Other Metrics
Launch Angle: 29°
Exit Velocity: 106.7 MPH
Reds Exit Velocity Rank (home runs only): 67th (tie) out of 222
MLB Exit Velocity Rank (home runs only): 1786th (tie) out of 5935
The Story Behind The Blast
Cincinnati was trailing 5-0 after a tough start that saw Wade Miley give up five runs in the first three innings of the game. Touki Toussaint was rolling through the first five innings, but he hit Nick Castellanos with a pitch to lead off the 6th. That brought Joey Votto to the plate and after working a full count he unloaded on the sinker that didn’t sink to make it a 5-2 game.
In the 9th inning the same scenario played out as Nick Castellanos was hit by yet another pitch and Joey Votto clubbed a 2-run homer. That one tied the game up and eventually helped send the game to extra innings, but Atlanta would walk things off with their own home run in the 11th.
You can follow along the entire series here