Tiger statues, trips on the Ferris wheel and a chance to see some long taters — three things that you can find at Comerica Park in Detroit.
In this list, we’re counting down the 10 longest home runs at Comerica Park through the 2022 season. It’s important to note that these home runs are only from 2015 onward, when MLB’s Statcast began to officially track the distance of each MLB home run. This list includes a handful of guys who are known for their tape measure blasts and not just one Cabrera, but two of them. (All videos appear courtesy of MLB.)
Here’s a look at the 10 longest home runs at Comerica Park in Detroit.
9 (t). David Bote — 455 feet
Chicago Cub David Bote isn’t exactly known for his prodigious home run power, but the infielder gets our list underway as part of a three-way tie for the ninth-longest home run at Comerica Park. Facing Casey Mize in front of an empty Detroit park on August 24 of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Bote connected with a pitch high in the zone and drove the baseball 455 feet over the bullpens in left-center field. The home run had an exit velocity of 107.1 mph.
9 (t). Nelson Cruz — 455 feet
One of the most prolific home run hitters of his generation, Nelson Cruz has hit tape measure dingers at several parks around the big leagues, including Fenway Park and Minute Maid Park. He’s on the leaderboard at Comerica Park thanks to a mammoth home run hit back on July 21, 2015 against Shane Greene. Cruz caught up with a fastball with an exit velocity of 110.1 mph and drove the baseball 455 feet to the natural batters eye in straightaway center field.
9 (t). Melky Cabrera — 455 feet
Melky Cabrera isn’t the first Cabrera that comes to mind when you think about home runs that have been hit in Detroit, but he’s had some notable home runs at Comerica Park. Facing David Price on June 28, 2015, Cabrera connected with an exit velocity of 107.5 mph and smacked the baseball 455 feet deep into the left-center field seats for his second long ball of the season. (No video available.)
8. Giancarlo Stanton — 456 feet
Owner of some of the longest home runs at multiple big league parks (Coors Field, Yankee Stadium, and PNC Park, to name a few), Giancarlo Stanton has also left his mark in Detroit. His longest home run in the Motor City came on June 4, 2018 against a looping curveball from Mike Fiers. The baseball left Stanton’s lumber at 114.9 mph and landed in the cross-aisle behind the left field seats, 456 feet from home plate.
7. Yoán Moncada — 458 feet
White Sox slugger reached down for a slider at the bottom of the zone from Jordan Zimmermann during a contest on April 19, 2019, and connected squarely. The Cuban third baseman’s home run swing had an exit velocity of 109.3 mph, which helped to drive the baseball 458 feet to straightaway center. The ball bounced off the natural batters eye and fell back onto the field.
6. Miguel Cabrera — 459 feet
The career of 500-home run man Miguel Cabrera might be winding down, but he’s left us with plenty of highlight reel long balls over his years in the big leagues. His longest home run at Comerica Park in the Statcast era came on June 29, 2016 against Miami. Cabrera had a no-doubt connection on a Dustin McGowan fastball, crushing the ball 459 feet to the base of the brick wall behind the seats in left-center field. The home run had an exit velocity of 113.8 mph.
5. Franmil Reyes — 462 feet
Hanging curveballs aren’t a good idea against most big league hitters, but they’re downright trouble when a power hitter like Franmil Reyes is in the box. Reyes took advantage of a mistake by Iván Nova on August 14, 2020, in an empty Comerica Park due to the pandemic. The slugger smacked the baseball with an exit velocity of 112.8 mph, drilling it off the edge of the batters eye 462 feet from home plate.
4. J.P. Arencibia — 464 feet
Although he struggled to hit for average during his MLB career, catcher J.P. Arencibia showed some power at the plate. The home run that he hit at Comerica Park on September 7, 2015 is one of his most memorable long balls. Facing Randy Wolf, Arencibia jumped all over a slider and smacked the baseball deep to left-center field, landing at the base of the brick wall behind the seats. The ball left Arencibia’s bat at 109.4 mph and traveled 464 feet. (No video available.)
3. Avisaíl García — 465 feet
Avisaíl García’s resume includes tape measure blasts at numerous MLB parks, including Rogers Centre, Progressive Field and American Family Field. His longest home run in Detroit occurred on August 2, 2016, against Mark Lowe. With his White Sox team trailing by seven runs in the ninth inning, García smashed the first pitch of the at-bat 465 feet with an exit velocity of 115.9 mph. The baseball landed close to the top row of the seats in left-center field — a place that baseballs rarely reach outside of batting practice.
2. J.D. Martinez — 467 feet
Outfielder J.D. Martinez hit 99 home runs as a member of the Tigers, including an impressive 38 round trippers in 2015. His longest home run of that season, and of his career to date, came on July 21 against Seattle. Martinez connected on a fastball from Taijuan Walker with an exit velocity of 113.2 mph and pounded the baseball to the roof of the camera well in the batters eye, 467 feet from home plate.
1. Gary Sánchez — 493 feet
The 2017 season was a breakout for Gary Sánchez, who earned All-Star and Silver Slugger awards, as well as some American League MVP votes. The catcher also smashed his way into the Comerica Park record books, hitting the park’s longest home run of the Statcast era. The blast came in the first inning of a game on August 22 against Matthew Boyd. The Detroit lefty left a changeup high in the zone, and Sánchez jumped all over it. The home run swing had an exit velocity of 113.1 mph and the baseball soared 493 feet, landing just below the video board in deep left field. The home run is the longest of Sánchez’s career and the longest at Comerica Park in the Statcast era.
The 10 Longest Home Runs at Comerica Park are:
1. Gary Sánchez — 493 feet
2. J.D. Martinez — 467 feet
3. Avisaíl García — 465 feet
4. J.P. Arencibia — 464 feet
5. Franmil Reyes — 462 feet
6. Miguel Cabrera — 459 feet
7. Yoán Moncada — 458 feet
8. Giancarlo Stanton — 456 feet
9 (t). Melky Cabrera — 455 feet
9 (t). Nelson Cruz — 455 feet
9 (t). David Bote — 455 feet