You knew it was bound to happen. There is no way that the team that led all of baseball in home runs during the COVID-19-shortened 60-game 2020 season with 118 was not going to start crushing the ball again in 2021.

Heading into Tuesday night’s interleague game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum (or whatever they call it these days), the defending 2020 World Champion Dodgers had hit exactly four home runs; one by utility infielder/outfielder Zach McKinstry (an inside-the-parker), one by third baseman Justin Turner, and two by catcher Will Smith. That’s it.

They hit three in Tuesday’s 5-1 pounding of the A’s – one by Dodgers first baseman (and former Athletic) Max Muncy, one by utility infielder Edwin Rios, and one by perennial Gold Glove outfielder Mookie Betts.

“Our team’s unbelievable, one through 26 our team is just so good,” Dodgers ace and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, the beneficiary of Tuesday night’s power surge, told reporters after the game. “I’m glad I don’t have to face them; I really do.”

The Dodgers have some work to do to catch – and pass – the current home-run-leading Houston Astros, who have hit 12 home runs thus far in the young season. The Colorado Rockies lead the National League with 11, followed by the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants, who have hit 10.

Be afraid, MLB teams … be very, very afraid. The sleeping giant has awakened.

Play Ball!

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