Christian Yelich Hits Record-Tying 14th Homer

Christian Yelich is having one of the hottest starts in the history of the game. Is he going to break the record? Even if he doesn't, he is still tied with some of the all time greats.

USA Today reports:

After Christian Yelich helped put Milwaukee ahead, Josh Hader prevented the Mets from coming back.

Yelich hit his major league-leading 14th home run, tying the record for most before May 1, and Hader needed just 20 pitches to retire six batters Saturday night and close out the Brewers' 8-6 win over the New York.

Yelich's fourth-inning homer off Noah Syndergaard (1-3) was the first on the road this season for the reigning NL MVP. His 14 homers matched Albert Pujols (2006) and Alex Rodriguez (2007) for the most through the first full month of the season.

"That's pretty cool. Obviously, those guys are pretty good baseball players," Yelich said. "I haven't really been thinking about it too much. Just head down, grinding. To be up there with those guys is definitely an honor."

SI.com continues the analysis even further:

As if it wasn’t enough for the reigning National League MVP to do something only Albert Pujols (2006) and Alex Rodriguez (2007) had previously accomplished, Yelich’s fourth-inning solo shot off Mets righthander Noah Syndergaard felt like the perfect way to spite those who pointed to his home-road splits as an ineffective way to discount his incredible start. The Brewers’ 8–6 win Saturday at Citi Field was Yelich’s 28th game (27th start) of the season.

Pujols, too, was coming off an MVP season when he launched 14 home runs before May 1, 2006. It took the Cardinals' first baseman 24 games to hit his 14th blast. He slashed .350/.495/.925, and amazingly, drew 24 walks and struck out just seven times in that span. In the 28 games it took Yelich to reach the 14-homer mark, he posted a .350/.459/.810 slashline, 20 walks and 20 strikeouts.