PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION’S HOME RUN CHALLENGE UPDATE
– As of End of Day, June 19th, 2026
Top Headlines
- 502 Total Home Runs (42 total on 6/19/2026)
- The Cubs set the tone early by absolutely burying the Blue Jays 16–2 at Wrigley Field, with CHC C Carson Kelly going deep for six RBI and three runs scored in a breakout afternoon and CHC RF Seiya Suzuki going 3-for-6 with two RBI as TOR SP Kevin Gausman lasted just two innings and surrendered seven runs before Toronto eventually pressed outfielder Myles Straw into pitching duty in a game that stopped being competitive by the second inning. The Yankees answered Cincinnati’s shutout from the night before by returning the favor, with NYY SP Cam Schlittler striking out 13 in six scoreless innings and NYY 1B Ben Rice going deep for three RBI in a 5–0 blanking of the Reds. Kansas City held off a late Cardinals rally to take the series two games to one, KC RF Jac Caglianone going deep for two RBI and KC SP Seth Lugo dealing through six dominant innings before the bullpen nearly gave it away in the ninth before KC RP Alex Lange closed the door on a 6–5 nail-biter. Atlanta edged Milwaukee 3–2 in the series opener, ATL LF Mike Yastrzemski going deep and ATL SS Mauricio Dubón driving in two to hand MIL SP Jacob Misiorowski a tough-luck loss despite seven strikeouts over six innings. The Rays took care of Washington 5–2 behind home runs from TB RF Jonny DeLuca and TB 1B Jonathan Aranda, Miami surprised San Francisco 4–3 with MIA RF Owen Caissie delivering a home run and three RBI in the decisive performance, and SF 1B Rafael Devers went deep in a losing cause as the Giants fell to 31–44 on the season.
- Schlittler Strikes Out 13, Rice and Chisholm Go Deep as Yankees Blank Cincinnati
- The New York Yankees answered Thursday’s shutout loss to the Reds in the most emphatic way possible, blanking Cincinnati 5–0 behind one of the most dominant individual pitching performances of the entire HRC season. NYY SP Cam Schlittler was simply untouchable, striking out 13 batters across six scoreless innings on just four hits while not issuing a single walk in a performance that had the Reds completely baffled from the first pitch. NYY 1B Ben Rice was the offensive star, going deep for a three-run home run in the second inning that gave New York all the cushion it would ever need, while NYY 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. added a solo shot in the eighth to put the finishing touches on the scoring. CIN SP Rhett Lowder absorbed the loss after surrendering two home runs and four runs in 5.1 innings, and Cincinnati’s lineup managed just four hits all game in what was a thoroughly one-sided affair from start to finish.
- New York (Y) is now 46-28 and sits at 1st in the AL East.
- Cincinnati is now 35-39 and sits at 5th in the NL Central.
- Carson Kelly Goes Bonkers for Six RBI as Chicago Drops 16 on Toronto
- The Chicago Cubs sent a message on Friday night at Wrigley Field, demolishing the Toronto Blue Jays 16–2 in a game that was effectively over before most fans had settled into their seats, with a seven-run first inning setting the tone for an afternoon that never let up. CHC C Carson Kelly was the undisputed star of the afternoon, going deep for six RBI and scoring three runs in what was as complete an individual performance as you’ll see all season, while CHC RF Seiya Suzuki went 3-for-6 with two RBI and CHC CF Pete Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. TOR SP Kevin Gausman was roughed up for seven runs and a home run in just two innings before the Blue Jays eventually had no choice but to press outfielder TOR RF Myles Straw into pitching duty, surrendering four more runs in 1.1 innings of a game that had long since stopped being competitive. CHC RP Ben Brown earned the win with six innings of two-run relief and TOR DH George Springer provided the only bright spot for Toronto with a home run and two RBI.
- Chicago (C) is now 40-35 and sits at 3rd in the NL Central.
- Toronto is now 37-39 and sits at 3rd in the AL East.
- Pena Goes Deep Twice, Altuve Adds a Blast as Houston Cruises Past Cleveland
- The Houston Astros put together one of their most complete offensive performances in weeks, handling the Cleveland Guardians 9–3 at Minute Maid Park behind three home runs and 12 hits spread across a balanced lineup that wore Cleveland’s pitching staff down from the sixth inning on. HOU SS Jeremy Peña was the headliner, going deep twice and driving in three runs across five at-bats in a vintage performance, while HOU 2B Jose Altuve added a home run and four RBI to give Houston two players with multiple RBI home runs in the same game. HOU RP Tatsuya Imai was sensational in relief, striking out 11 batters across six innings on three earned runs to earn the win, while CLE SP Tanner Bibee took the loss after surrendering a home run and four runs in 5.1 innings. CLE 1B Rhys Hoskins provided Cleveland’s only home run, a two-run shot in the third that briefly brought the Guardians within one before Houston pulled away with three runs in the sixth and seven more across the final three innings.
- Houston is now 36-41 and sits at 4th in the AL West.
- Cleveland is now 40-36 and sits at 2nd in the AL Central.
- deGrom Returns, Langford Goes Deep in a Wild 9-7 Rangers Win Over San Diego
- Jacob deGrom was back on the mound for Texas on Friday night and while the results were mixed, the Rangers still walked away with a 9–7 win over the San Diego Padres in a game that featured three home runs and 23 combined hits in a slugfest that wasn’t decided until the ninth inning. TEX LF Wyatt Langford went deep for two RBI and went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored in what was the best offensive performance of the night for Texas, while TEX 1B Jake Burger drove in two and TEX LF Alejandro Osuna added two more RBI through contact. SD 1B Ty France was the story on San Diego’s side, going deep twice and driving in five runs across four at-bats in a magnificent individual performance that wasn’t enough to overcome Texas’s early six-run first inning, and SD 1B Gavin Sheets added a home run and two RBI as the Padres put up seven runs without ever quite being able to close the gap. TEX SP Jacob deGrom earned the win despite surrendering two home runs and six runs in six innings, with his 9 strikeouts showing plenty of rust-busting flashes, and TEX RP Jacob Latz closed it out with 1.1 scoreless innings for the save.
- Texas is now 36-39 and sits at 3rd in the AL West.
- San Diego is now 38-36 and sits at 2nd in the NL West.
- Betts and Henderson Go Deep in a 6-5 Dodgers Thriller Over Baltimore
- The Los Angeles Dodgers held off a furious Baltimore Orioles comeback to win 6–5 at Dodger Stadium in a game that swung completely in Baltimore’s favor across the sixth and seventh innings before Los Angeles answered with three runs in the ninth to put it away. LAD SS Mookie Betts was the offensive spark, going deep for one RBI and going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while LAD 3B Max Muncy drove in two through contact as the Dodgers built a 3–0 lead through three innings before Baltimore erupted for five runs across the sixth and seventh. BAL SS Gunnar Henderson went deep for two RBI and BAL 2B Jeremiah Jackson drove in two more as the Orioles briefly took the lead before LAD RP Blake Treinen slammed the door in the eighth with two strikeouts and the Dodgers scored three in the ninth off BAL RP Ryan Helsley, who surrendered a home run and walked two batters without finishing the inning and took the loss. LAD SP Roki Sasaki allowed two home runs in a nodecision across 5.2 innings, but the win kept Los Angeles rolling at 49–27.
- Los Angeles (D) is now 49-27 and sits at 1st in the NL West.
- Baltimore is now 35-41 and sits at 4th in the AL East.
- Freeland Deals, Rumfield Goes Deep as Colorado Stuns Pittsburgh in the Eighth
- The Colorado Rockies pulled off one of the more unlikely wins of the week, edging the Pittsburgh Pirates 4–3 at Coors Field in a game that was decided in the eighth inning when Colorado scored two runs off PIT RP Mason Montgomery, who allowed three hits and two runs in two-thirds of an inning and took the loss. COL SP Kyle Freeland was the real story, going 7.1 innings on just two earned runs with eight strikeouts in the most dominant pitching performance of his season, holding Pittsburgh to four hits through seven innings before exiting with the lead and handing it off to the bullpen. COL 1B TJ Rumfield went deep for one RBI as Colorado’s lone home run, and COL 2B Willi Castro drove in one more through contact while COL C Braxton Fulford delivered a two-RBI double in the eighth that proved to be the decisive blow. PIT SS Jared Triolo, PIT 3B Nick Gonzales, and PIT LF Bryan Reynolds each drove in a run in a losing effort as Pittsburgh’s offense couldn’t get enough going against Freeland before COL RP Antonio Senzatela closed it out for the win.
- Colorado is now 29-47 and sits at 5th in the NL West.
- Pittsburgh is now 38-38 and sits at 4th in the NL Central.
Important Stats:
| Top Teams in Home Runs during HRC | # of HRs during HRC | Bottom Five Teams in Home Runs During HRC | # of HRs during HRC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. ATH | 35 | 1. TB | 9 |
| 2. MIN | 27 | 2. ATL | 10 |
| 3. DET/NYY/MIL/COL | 24 | 3. CLE | 11 |
| 4. SF | 22 | 4. ARI | 12 |
| Top Players in Home Runs during HRC | # of HRs |
|---|---|
| 1. ATH 1B Nick Kurtz | 7 |
| 2. SSTL 1B Alec Burleson, CHC CF Pete Crow-Armstrong, MIL LF Jackson Chourio, COL RF Hunter Goodman, LAA SS Zach Neto | 6 |
| 3. MIN CF Byron Buxton, SF 3B Matt Chapman, LAMIN CF Byron Buxton, SF 3B Matt Chapman, BAL 1B Pete Alonso, LAD DH Shohei Ohtani, WSH 1B Luis García Jr., ATH LF Tyler Soderstrom, CWS SS Colson Montgomery, ATH 3B Zack Gelof | 5 |
| 4. NYY 1B Paul Goldschmidt, BOS C WilHOU 2B Jose Altuve, NYY 1B Paul Goldschmidt, BOS C Willson Contreras, MIN DH Josh Bell, SF SS Willy Adames, SF 1B Rafael Devers, PIT LF Bryan Reynolds, NYM LF Juan Soto, PHI LF Brandon Marsh, MIN 3B Royce Lewis, NYY 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIL 2B Brice Turang, AZ CF Corbin Carroll, SEA DH Dominic Canzone, DET 1B Spencer Torkelson, DET 3B Colt Keith, WSH RF James Wood, NYY 1B Ben Rice, BOS 3B Caleb Durbin, COL 1B TJ Rumfield, MIN SS Brooks Lee, TEX LF Wyatt Langford, SF DH Bryce Eldridge, KC RF Jac Caglianone | 4 |
| All-Time Leader HRs | Player | HRs | Career Span | # of Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Barry Bonds | 762 | 22 years | 2,986 | |
| 2. Hank Aaron | 755 | 23 years | 3,298 | |
| 3. Babe Ruth | 714 | 22 years | 2,503 | |
| 4. Albert Pujols | 703 | 22 years | 3,080 | |
| 5. Alex Rodriguez | 696 | 22 years | 2,784 | |
| 6. Willie Mays | 660 | 22 years | 2,992 | |
| 7. Ken Griffey Jr. | 630 | 22 years | 2,543 | |
| 8. Jim Thome | 612 | 22 years | 2,543 | |
| 9. Sammy Sosa | 609 | 18 years | 2,354 | |
| 10. Frank Robinson | 586 | 21 years | 2,808 | |
| 11. Mark McGwire | 583 | 16 years | 1,874 | |
| 12. Harmon Killebrew | 573 | 22 years | 2,435 | |
| 13. Rafael Palmiero | 569 | 18 years | 2,831 | |
| 14. Reggie Jackson | 563 | 21 years | 2,820 | |
| 15. Manny Ramirez | 555 | 19 years | 2,302 | |
| 16. Mike Schmidt | 548 | 18 years | 2,404 | |
| 17. David Ortiz | 541 | 20 years | 2,408 | |
| 18. Mickey Mantle | 536 | 18 years | 2,401 | |
| 19. Jimmie Foxx | 534 | 20 years | 2,317 | |
| 20. Willie McCovey | 521 | 22 years | 2,588 | |
| 20. Frank Thomas | 521 | 19 years | 2,322 | |
| 20. Ted Williams | 521 | 22 years | 2,292 |
| All-Time Leader HRs (Active) | Player | HRs | Career Span | # of Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Giancarlo Stanton | 456 | 17 | 1,750 | |
| 2. Mike Trout | 418 | 16 | 1,711 | |
| 3. Aaron Judge | 385 | 11 | 1,204 | |
| 4. Manny Machado | 380 | 14 | 1,954 | |
| 5. Paul Goldschmidt | 379 | 16 | 2,112 | |
| 6. Freddie Freeman | 377 | 17 | 2,240 | |
| 7. Bryce Harper | 377 | 15 | 1,848 | |
| 8. Kyle Schwarber | 363 | 12 | 1,351 | |
| 9. Nolan Arenado | 361 | 14 | 1,845 | |
| 10. Carlos Santana | 335 | 17 | 2,212 |
Other Fun Facts:
- The 2019 Atlanta Braves hit more home runs in the month of June – 56 – than any other team in history.
- In 2017, the Cincinnati Reds Scooter Gennett became one of the unlikeliest players to hit four home runs in a single game; Gennett hit his record-tying home runs in an HRC game.
- The Atlanta Braves (2023) and Minnesota Twins (2019) hit 307 home runs each in a single season, more than any team in history.
- Babe Ruth led the American League in home runs 12 times; the first time was in 1918 when he hit 11 home runs (and won 13 games as a pitcher).
- In 2021, Miguel Cabrera became the last MLB player to top 500 home runs; 34-year old Giancarlo Stanton is the current active leader with 408.
- Mark McGwire hit more home runs per at bat – 10.61 – than any player in history. Aaron Judge (11.9) and Pete Alonso (13.27) have the best ratios among current players.
- Sammy Sosa has 3 of the 6 seasons with the most HRs hit, hitting 66 in 1998, 63 in 1999, and 64 in 2001. However, he never once lead the major leagues in home runs. Despite his prowess as a power hitter, he was surpassed in all 3 seasons, in the 1998-99 seasons by Mark McGwire, and in 2001 by Barry Bonds.
- Weirdly enough, no one has ever hit 55 HRs in a season.
- Hitting a grand slam is incredibly impressive enough. Hitting multiple in the same game is nearly unheard of. Even more absurd, multiple grand slams in the same inning? Only one player has accomplished that feat – and that is Fernando Tatis. On April 23rd, 1999, he hit two grand slams as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, facing the Los Angeles Dodgers that day. His son, Fernando Tatis Jr, is now a superstar outfielder for the San Diego Padres.
- The first Home Run was hit by the Chicago White Stockings infielder, Ross Barnes, on May 2, 1876. Despite being nearly 150 years ago, the Chicago White Stockings are still an MLB team – but not the White Sox. The White Stockings actually became the Chicago Cubs.
- Andy “Pepper” Oyler, known as a small player, had the shortest home run in baseball history – an [astonishing] 24-inch home run. As the story goes, the weather conditions in Minnesota were poor that day, and the hard-hit ball went directly into the mud in front of the plate. By the time they had found the ball, Oyler had cleared the bases, for an inside the park home run.
- What’s perhaps more impressive than hitting any Home Run or Grand Slam? Robbing one! How about Mike Cameron, former All-Star and gold glover, known as being one of the only players to amass 250 home runs and 250 steals in their career. On May 2, 2002, not only did he hit 4 Home Runs in the game, with his 5th hit missing the wall by just feet, making it all the way to the warning track, he also robbed a home run.
