ARLINGTON, Texas — Giancarlo Stanton made MLB history Monday night with a home run that seemed physically impossible. Even for a player known for jaw-dropping power, this one stood out.
In the fourth inning against the Rangers at Globe Life Field, Giancarlo Stanton launched a 115 mph opposite-field home run on a pitch that had no business leaving the bat, let alone clearing the fence. It was a 96 mph Fast Ball from Jon Gray, low and well outside the strike zone, yet Stanton somehow muscled it 427 feet into the right-field seats.
A swing right-handers has rarely made before
According to Statcast data, the pitch was located nearly 17 inches off the plate and just inches above the ground. No right-handed batter had ever hit a home run on a pitch that far outside and that low — not in the Statcast era, not in the modern game.
MLB’s Baseball Savant assigned the pitch a 0.1 percent chance of resulting in a home run. It was the lowest outside pitch ever pulled for a homer by a right-hander.
“Only Giancarlo could do that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said postgame. “That’s not a swing many guys even attempt, let alone hit out of the park.”
Raw power defies logic
The blast was Stanton’s 10th home run of the 2025 season and the hardest-hit homer of his year so far. It left the bat at 115 mph with a 27-degree launch angle. The ball cut through the Texas night sky and gave the Yankees a brief jolt.
Even Rangers pitcher Jon Gray could only admire it.
“I executed the pitch,” Gray said. “Low and away — where we wanted it. But somehow he got to it. Unreal.”
Field-level cameras showed Stanton adjusting mid-swing, using sheer strength and wrist speed to hook the ball over the fence. Even opposing right fielder Adolis García barely turned to track it.
Stanton’s swing shows signs of life
The moment marked a highlight in what’s been a resurgent stretch for Stanton. After missing time earlier this season with a hamstring injury and battling through slumps, he’s begun to heat up.
Stanton now has hits in six of his last seven games and has reached base in 12 of his last 16. His batting average, which hovered near .210 in early July, has climbed to .236.
“He’s starting to find that zone again,” Boone said. “When Giancarlo gets going, he changes the game with one swing.”
Since 2008, just 13 MLB players have crushed 427+ ft homers 26 times with a 17° or lower launch angle – showcasing elite raw power.
| Player | How Many Homers at 17 degree | Years |
| Giancarlo Stanton | 7 | 2015, 2016, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2018, 2025 |
| Pete Alonso | 3 | 2019, 2019, 2023 |
| Aaron Judge | 3 | 2017, 2017, 2018 |
| Nelson Cruz | 2 | 2018, 2021 |
| Manny Machado | 1 | 2015 |
| Daniel Vogelbach | 1 | 2019 |
| George Springer | 1 | 2023 |
| Mark Trumbo | 1 | 2015 |
| Yordan Alvarez | 1 | 2023 |
| Oneil Cruz | 1 | 2022 |
| Vladimir Guerrero | 1 | 2024 |
| Danny Valencia | 1 | 2017 |
| Mike Trout | 1 | 2016 |
Rare air even for a former MVP
Stanton, a former National League MVP and four-time All-Star, has hit over 400 home runs in his career. Many have been impressive. This one ranks among the most unlikely.
Statcast categorizes home runs by pitch location, exit velocity, and launch angle. Stanton’s homer Monday set a new precedent for what’s possible for a right-handed hitter.
Even advanced analytics struggled to make sense of it.
“He basically hit a ball off the ground, off the plate, and took it out to the opposite field,” reported Sporting News. “You don’t teach that. You don’t even expect that.”
One of a kind
For a Yankees lineup still trying to click, Stanton’s unique homer served as a reminder of the raw power he brings when healthy and locked in. It was also a personal statement.
Despite critics pointing to age, health, and strikeout totals, Stanton continues to show why he remains one of the most feared sluggers in baseball when he connects.
And on Monday night, he did more than connect. He made history with a swing that only he could pull off.
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