NEW YORK – Not all home runs are created equal.
They all count the same on the scoreboard, yes. But their meanings are different.
Consider Ryan Zimmerman’s walk-off home run to open Nationals Park in 2008. Or Jayson Werth’s walk-off homer in Game 4 of the 2012 National League Division Series. Or Howie Kendrick’s longball off the foul pole in Houston to clinch the Nationals’ first World Series championship.
Now consider Jacob Young’s first career grand slam.
Sure, it came with two outs in the ninth inning with his team trailing the Yankees 10-1, the Nats having just got on the scoreboard thanks to Robert Hassell III’s bases-loaded walk. But it still put four runs on the board at Yankee Stadium as the Nats cut their 10-run deficit entering the ninth in half. And it sure meant a whole lot to Young.
“It's pretty cool,” the 26-year-old outfielder said. “It's a milestone that you've always dreamed about, and doing it in a park like this is a cool thing to do.”
Young was the first batter to face right-hander Mark Leiter Jr., who had come on after Yerry de los Santos issued the run-scoring walk to Hassell. And on Leiter’s second-pitch sinker right down the middle, Young blasted the ball 101.3 mph off his bat and 393 feet into the Yankees bullpen in right-center field and took the trip around the bases to see three teammates waiting to greet him at home plate for the first time.
In fact, it was the first of Young’s now four career homers to score multiple runs, with each of his first three last year being solo shots. It was also his first of the season, his first on the road and the second against the Yankees, the only team he’s now hit multiple homers against.
“It was awesome,” interim manager Miguel Cairo said last night. “He's been working really hard on his swing. And today, he got a good walk in the first inning. Yesterday, he got two hits. Today, he got that grand slam. He's working on it.”
Power has never been part of Young’s game, as is evident by his career .316 slugging percentage and .628 OPS. The defensive specialist has been one of the best center fielders with a glove over the last two years and he can usually create havoc on the basepaths with his speed.
But when he entered spring training with noticeably more muscle, some wondered if he could tap into a little more power during his second big league season. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case as all of his power metrics are down from his subpar numbers from last year. He now only has a .282 slugging and .584 OPS.
But he’s still working to develop all aspects of his offensive game.
“He's been working on his swing, like I said,” Cairo said. “And hitting line drives. That's his game. Getting on base, line drive, stealing bases, playing good defense. That's the kind of game that he brings to the team. And it really helped.”
Young doesn’t hit a lot of homers and the Nationals don’t expect him to. But when the occasional ball does sneak out of the yard, he can’t help but savor it.
“I think you'd be crazy not to savor home runs in the big leagues,” he said. “I know some guys on that side have 40 a year, no problem. But when you don't, you definitely want to savor each one. And it's a special thing to hit home runs in the big leagues. So just savor each one and try to build on it.”
As for what he’s going to do with the ball …
“First grand slam, yeah, it'll probably go next to the first home run ball,” he said with a laugh.