Friday BP: Will Brandon Belt hit 30 home runs this season?

Good morning, baseball fans! We get a short break from the San Diego Padres this weekend, as the San Francisco Giants welcome the Atlanta Braves to town for a three game series.

On Wednesday night, Brandon Belt hit his 25th home run of the season. He had hit four in a six game span, since appointing himself captain of the team. This has become a running joke, but Belt really is putting on a show to back his claim to the throne.

The most impressive part is that he’s doing it in a season shortened by injury. For comparison, Belt’s previous career high was 18, set in 2015 and tied in 2017 (he was poised to break the record that year, but his season was cut short in August due to a concussion). In his 2015 season, Belt had 556 plate appearances, this year he’s had 337, after going on the injured list at the end of June and missing the entirety of July with a knee injury.

It was an uncertain time, with speculation about whether Belt would have to end his season early to get surgery. Thankfully, he returned on August 5th and has been tearing it up ever since, with 14 of his home runs coming since his return.

While it was a long time coming to reach 20 home runs, Belt has blown past that in the last week, reaching 25. With 15 games left in the 2021 season, do you think Belt can reach 30?

Old, random MCC article for you to read

I miss these headlines sometimes, even if I’d prefer a good team that doesn’t demoralize the writers.

Giants fall in 14 innings, lose ground in West, watch Dodgers walk off, get hit with pitches, bemoan their fate, just miss home runs, look tired, determined, and hungry, fall in 14 innings, losing ground in the NL West race as the Dodgers walk off (September 1st, 2015 - Grant Brisbee)

Also known as the game that was played in one night, but also two months.

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants take on the Braves tonight at 6:45 p.m. PT at Oracle Park.