Jesus Sanchez has had his ups and downs with the Miami Marlins this season. The 24-year-old got off to a red-hot start. He batted .356 throughout the first two weeks of the season and was an RBI machine. Fantasy baseball managers were all over him. Midway through April, he was over 70% owned in most formats.
Alas, Sanchez came crashing down shortly after. He's batting just .215 now on the season and has managed only four home runs. But today he reminded the baseball world that he's stashing loads of potential. Playing against the Colorado Rockies in Coors Field, Sanchez launched the season's longest home run to date. It almost sailed 500 feet.
Twitter reacts after Miami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez sets season record for longest home run with a 496-foot bomb
No better place to start than with a replay. When was the last time you saw a home run land in the third deck?
"THIRD DECK, 496 FOOT BOMB FROM JESUS SANCHEZ! HOLY S**T!" - Talkin' Baseball
This user shared a statcast depiction of Sanchez's home run. You don't have to be an expert to understand how huge this one was.
"Jesus Sanchez vs Ryan Feltner #MakeItMiami Marlins Home Run Exit velo: 114.7 mph Launch angle: 31 deg Proj. distance: 496 ft No doubt about that one That's a dinger in all 30 MLB ballparks" - @Would it Dong?
That ball was up, up, up and outta there. It's a shame the Marlins had nobody on base. This fan thinks it should've counted as four runs anyway.
"Did anyone see the homerun Jesus Sanchez hit from the marlins today, That ball was mashed..That ball leaves certain zip codes... That should count as 4 runs." - @Jay
Yankee Stadium gets a lot of hate for having a short right field wall. This user sarcastically points out that Sanchez's home run would've left Yankee Stadium twice. Not quite, but you get the point.
"would be 2 home runs in yankee stadium" - @Brennan
No doubt about this one. That ball would've been a home run in any ballpark in the world.
"this would’ve been a homer in 60 ballparks good lord" - @Jay
This user thinks Jesus Sanchez has entered a unique category: a "run-of-the-mill player on paper" who "every so often will demolish a baseball." That's a rather specific class.
"At all times in MLB, there is one hitter in the league, but never two at the same time, that is your run-of-the-mill player on paper but every so often will demolish a baseball. It used to be Russell Branyan, then Juan Francisco, then Franmil Reyes. Now is Jesus Sanchez's time" - @Let's Get Topical
Coors Field is known for being one of the league's most hitter-friendly parks. But as this user points out, rarely do balls land in the third deck even in Colorado.
"Jesus Sanchez. I have NEVER seen a ball land up there at Coors. Not even during the Derby!" - @Drew Osborne
Get out the history books: This home run tied for the second-longest in Coors Field history. The Miami Marlins outfielder is in good company. He's just behind Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who used to be a Marlin himself.
"Jesus Sanchez’s 496-foot home run is tied for the second longest home run in Coors Field history. Giancarlo Stanton has the longest home run in Coors Field history. He hit a 504-foot homer on August 6, 2016. ball back?" - @JoeyTunes2
On another note, Jesus Sanchez may have just singlehandedly destroyed the discussion about dead baseballs this season.