On May 12, 2015, former Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton became the fourth player to hit a home run out of Dodger Stadium with a solo shot off Mike Bolsinger in the first inning.
Stanton’s majestic blast traveled an estimated 475 feet, and was so impressive that left fielder Scott Van Slyke didn’t turn around to look at it. Los Angeles Dodgers fans at Chavez Ravine had no choice but to stand up and cheer.
That proved to be the only bright spot in the Marlins’ 11-1 loss as Dan Haren was roughed up for 11 hits and six runs in 4.1 innings. Howie Kendrick and Andre Ethier each homered and combined for nine of the Dodgers’ 21 hits in the game.
The home run to Stanton was the only run Bolsinger gave up in 5.2 innings to earn his first victory of the season.
While it came in a losing effort, that home run had to have been extra special for Stanton considering he grew up just a few minutes from Dodger Stadium in Sherman Oaks. After a series at Chavez Ravine in 2017, Stanton called it ‘the place that made me love baseball.’
Stanton almost became a Dodger after that 2017 season as they were in trade discussions with the Marlins to acquire him for a majority of the offseason. Stanton made it clear when other teams tried to trade for him that he wanted to be dealt to the Dodgers, but his contract ended up proving to be too much for L.A. and he was traded to the New York Yankees instead.
The 30-year-old has dealt with some injuries throughout the course of his career but has otherwise proven to be one of the best home run hitters of his generation. He slugged an impressive 59 homers during a 2017 MVP season, his last with the Marlins.
Players to hit home run out of Dodger Stadium
Stanton joined Mark McGwire (1999), Mike Piazza (1997), Willie Stargell, who accomplished the feat twice (1969, 1973), and Fernando Tatís Jr. (2021) as the only players to hit a home run out of Dodger Stadium in its history.
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