Kansas City Royals: Jorge Soler breaks home run record

Jorge Soler launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the 3rd inning to break the Kansas City Royals’ single-season home run record.

Kansas City Royals superstar, Jorge Soler had been sitting on 38 home runs for the season. He hit that home run Friday, August 30, tying Mike Moustakas‘ single-season home run record set in 2017. In his first at-bat of the evening, Soler took a 6-pitch walk.

In the bottom of the third inning, Humberto Arteaga recorded the first out of the inning. Nick Dini drew a walk on a 12-pitch at-bat, followed by a Whit Merrifield single to left field. Adalberto Mondesi advanced Dini to third on a deep fly ball to right field and Soler was due up again.

The first pitch he took bounced in the dirt. Followed by two swinging strikes and another ball well below the zone. On the 5th pitch of the at-bat, Soler launched an absolute no-doubter of a home run to left-center field making him the new owner of the Royals’ single-season home run record.

On the home run, Soler also collected his 98th, 99th, and 100th RBI’s on the season. It’s the first time in Soler’s career that he has reached the 100 RBI mark in what has been a well-deserved breakout season for the 27-year old.

The former Cuban defector began his career with the Chicago Cubs and displayed his potential, bouncing a couple of home runs off the newly installed video board in left-center field at Wrigley Field. He was traded for closer Wade Davis after the 2016 season but was hampered by injuries in his first two seasons in Kansas City.

Finally healthy, Soler has shown the rest of Major League Baseball that he is here to stay and should be a priority for new Royals owner John Sherman to re-sign. He has thrived as a designated hitter while playing the outfield sparingly.

Soler took a much-deserved curtain call after hugging all of his teammates. What a joyful moment in an otherwise letdown of a 2019 season for the 2019 Royals.