Giancarlo Stanton hits 50th home run, ties NL record for most HR in August

With his 50th home run of the season on Sunday, Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton tied the National League record for home runs in August. With four days left in the month, he has a good shot at holding the record all to himself.

Stanton’s home run on Sunday was a two-run shot in the eighth inning against Clayton Richard of the San Diego Padres, breaking a 2-2 tie in a 6-2 Marlins win. Miami has won four straight games and 13 of its last 16. It’s now 4½ games back of the Colorado Rockies for the second NL Wild Card spot.

With 17 home runs in August, Stanton tied Willie Mays (1965) and Sammy Sosa (2001) for most by a National Leaguer in August.

Stanton has been on an absolute tear in the second half of the season with 24 homers out of 51 total hits in that time, in just 41 games. He is the first National League player to hit 50 home runs since Prince Fielder did so for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007.

He’s also just one homer from tying the MLB record for home runs in August, currently held by Rudy York of the 1937 Detroit Tigers, with 18. If he really went on a tear over the next four games he could have an outside chance of reaching the NL record for most home runs in any month (Sosa’s 20 in June of 1998, which is also the MLB record).

As if that wasn’t all impressive enough, his slugging percentage for August is an even 1.000. There have only been four players all-time to slug 1.000 in a single month in 50 minimum at-bats, including Barry Bonds six times.

It would be the only time someone has ever done that in August.

Giancarlo Stanton is having a great month. Watch and enjoy.