Since Speaking To Bonds, Pederson Has Been Doing His Best Barry Impression
Jun 1, 2022, 9:52 AM | Updated: Jul 14, 2022, 3:12 pm
(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Barry Bonds should stop by and chat with San Francisco Giants hitters more often.
On May 24th, the home run king had a conversation with Giants outfielder Joc Pederson before San Francisco’s game against the New York Mets. According to Pederson, the chat had a notable impact on the 30-year-old.
“Just getting knowledge from such a good hitter and the way he thinks about baseball and hitting, it just helped to connect some dots to free my mind up at the plate,” Pederson told reporters on May 24th.
“I’m not ever going to be Barry Bonds. He’s the best hitter to touch a bat. But it definitely helped free my mind up in the box.”
Pederson is right. He will never be Barry Bonds–but his performance since speaking to the baseball legend has shown shades of the seven-time MVP award winner.
On the day that Pederson spoke to Bonds, he hit three home runs and drove in eight runs against the Mets. One day later, another home run and two walks.
Following May 24th’s three-home run explosion, the Palo Alto native has driven it at least one run in five-straight games.
Leading up to May 24th, the Giants had lost four-straight games to place themselves six games back of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.
Since then, San Francisco has rattled off five wins over their past seven games–three-straight overall–to keep pace in the race and begin cutting into the division deficit.
During that span of games, the Giants have arguably had the hottest bat in the MLB.
Joc Pederson since May 24th (7 games):
- 11-for-28 (.478 BA)
- 5 HR
- 15 RBI
- 3 BB
- 2 K
- .571 OBP
- 1.174 SLG
- 1.745 OPS
On Tuesday night in Philadelphia, Pederson dropped the hammer once again by drilling a game-sealing two-run mammoth blast to lead the Giants to a 7-4 win over the Phillies in extra innings.
“That’s kind of one where you just black out,” Pederson said postgame of the two-run shot. “It felt really good. It kind of hit the perfect spot on the bat, and you don’t really feel anything.”
The Giants are back to their winning ways and Joc Pederson is continuing to mash Major League pitching.
If this hot streak continues, Pederson might want to send Bonds a thank you letter in the near future.
