The Cincinnati Reds are certainly not fans of Milwaukee Brewers slugger Eric Thames returning to the majors after spending three seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization.
Yesterday, I shared the story of Thames hitting two more home runs vs the Reds, giving him seven homers vs the Reds on the season. That’s as many home runs as any MLB player has total.
Well, Thames blasted another dinger vs the Reds on Tuesday night, giving him eight vs the Reds on the season.
That’s now more homers than any other MLB player has total. Six MLB players have seven home runs. Thames has eight homers just against the Reds this month!
And this stat may be even more unbelievable: Thames now has 11 homers, which are the same amount the entire Boston Red Sox team has on the season!
Eric Thames: 11 home runs
The Boston Red Sox: 11 home runs
— Sung Min Kim (@sung_minkim) April 26, 2017
Eric Thames now has as many homers in 84 plate appearances as the Red Sox have in 726 plate apperances
— Jason Collette (@jasoncollette) April 26, 2017
Naturally, Thames’ power surge — after MLB struggles before going over to Korea — has led to speculation of PEDs, because this is unfortunately what always happens when a player has a clear power improvement these days.
Well, Thames responded to that speculation after Tuesday’s game, and said he was drug tested again on Tuesday:
Eric Thames was drug tested again tonight. “If people keep thinking I’m on stuff, I’ll be here every day. I have a lot of blood and urine.” pic.twitter.com/De1smFWVj7
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) April 26, 2017
“If people keep thinking I’m on stuff, I’ll be here every day. I have a lot of blood and urine.”
That’s certainly a confident response. MLB.Com’s Anthony Castrovince put it well:
If Eric Thames is on a PED, it must be the one that makes you not swing at balls. pic.twitter.com/8n5R2SUObZ
— Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince) April 25, 2017
And here are some more neat Tweets about Thames:
via @EliasSports: Eric Thames joins Willie Stargell are the only players in MLB history to hit 8 HR in April against 1 team. pic.twitter.com/obgj3AIUkI
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 26, 2017
So cool to see ballplayers owning sports franchises. Jeter got the Marlins, Eric Thames got the Reds.
— Jonah Keri (@jonahkeri) April 26, 2017
Home runs on April 24th
Bonds 2001: 9
Thames 2017: 11¯_(ツ)_/¯
— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) April 26, 2017
Eric Thames is on pace for 25 home runs … against the Reds.
— David Schoenfield (@dschoenfield) April 26, 2017
The most amount of HRs that Eric Thames hit in a month while in #KBO was 10 (May 2016), so yeah, he surpassed that today as well. #Brewers
— Sung Min Kim (@sung_minkim) April 26, 2017
All of Eric Thames home runs this season ??? pic.twitter.com/h3Iemnu7Vt
— Daren Willman (@darenw) April 26, 2017