Chicago Cubs infielder Jeimer Candelario has been hitting the ball well during his return to the North Side, and he finally got on the board in the home run department on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves.
Candelario, who collected nine hits in his first three games with the Cubs, was held hitless on Friday against the Braves, but that brief skid didn’t last long as he took Bryce Elder deep in the first inning on Saturday afternoon:
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The home run left Candelario’s bat at 106.5 miles per hour, and would have been a home run at 25 of the 30 MLB ballparks, according to Statcast. The total estimated distance on the home run was 414 feet.
Candelario’s blast was part of a five-run outburst by the Cubs in the first inning, as the team quickly avenged Friday’s shutout at the hands of the Braves.
Improbably, Candelario came within inches of a second home run in the fourth inning, with a double bouncing off the top of the basket in center field. It would have been a home run in 21 stadiums, and left Candelario’s bat at 109.4 miles per hour.