One item from last year we left hanging: the Cincinnati Reds' pitchers did indeed set a new major league record for most home runs allowed, with 258. They breezed past the 2003 Tigers, who allowed 241.
Early this year, the Reds looked as though they were turning this around. But as the season has heated up, they've reverted to their old habits. Currently they've allowed 122 HRs in 74 games, which projects to 267 for the year...which would be another major league record.
The margin for error is pretty tight, however--and this year (as you might expect after perusing the previous blog entry...) they have some competition. The Seattle Mariners have allowed 121 HR in 78 games, which puts them currently on a pace to allow 251 HR. The M's have already used 31 pitchers this season, with Drew Smyly still awaiting his season debut. Getting Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma back in the rotation might not actually stem the tide of the M's homer flow, however: both of their long-time stalwarts have been giving up HRs at a strikingly elevated rate this year.
Stay tuned...
