Atlanta Braves outfielder Joc Pederson continued his hot postseason on Sunday night, belting a two-run home run against his former team in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series.
Pederson’s blast came on a 1-0 offering from Los Angeles Dodgers righty Max Scherzer. It had an exit velocity of 112.2 mph and it carried 454 feet, making it the longest of the postseason so far, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs. Here’s the moving picture version of it:
Pederson celebrated his latest home run by high-fiving his teammates — and proclaiming other things — in the dugout.
The Braves acquired Pederson at the trade deadline from the Chicago Cubs. He batted .230/.300/.418 (91 OPS+) with 11 home runs in 73 games prior to the deal. Afterward, he hit .249/.325/.428 (96 OPS+) with seven home runs in 64 games.
Pederson began this October in what amounted to a pinch-hitting specialist. His role has since expanded after Jorge Soler tested positive for COVID-19 during Atlanta’s NL Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Pederson entered the night having hit .400/.400/1.000 with two home runs in his first 10 trips to the plate this playoffs.
Pederson, 29 years old, had spent the entirety of his first seven seasons with the Dodgers. He left last winter as a free agent, but found the market less receptive to him than his production would have otherwise indicated. Indeed, Pederson had to settle for a one-year pact with the Cubs worth just $7 million with a mutual option for next season worth an additional $10.5 million.
The Braves entered Game 2 with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The winner will advance to the World Series, where they’ll play either the Houston Astros or the Boston Red Sox. That series is tied 1-1 ahead of Monday’s Game 3.
