It's easy to become desensitized to all the big home run numbers these days.
Still, this past week was pretty special.
Robinson Canó, Paul DeJong, Nelson Cruz and Mookie Betts each hit three homers in a game — and they did it on consecutive days. The unprecedented streak of home run hat tricks began with Canó on Tuesday and was capped, somewhat fittingly, by Betts on Friday.
St. Louis Cardinals' Paul DeJong hits a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Jose Osuna during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, July 24, 2019. It was DeJong's third home run of the game. (AP PhotoGene J. Puskar)
It was the fifth time in his career — one shy of the major league record — that Betts hit three homers in a game.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this was the first time in major league history there were even three straight days with a three-homer game. There have now been 15 of them this season. The first three-homer game was by Paul Goldschmidt back on March 29. The longest stretch without one was 21 days, between Christian Yelich (April 15) and Justin Turner (May 7).
Only two teams this season — the Cardinals and Twins — have had more than one player pull off the feat. Cruz and Max Kepler did it for Minnesota, DeJong and Goldschmidt for St. Louis.
Minnesota Twins' Nelson Cruz points to the sky at home plate after hitting his third home run of the game during the fifth inning of a baseball game as Chicago White Sox catcher James McCann, left, looks on Thursday, July 25, 2019, in Chicago. (AP PhotoJeff Haynes)
Only the Yankees and Pirates have been victimized more than once. New York allowed three homers to Betts and Travis d'Arnaud. Pittsburgh gave up three to DeJong and Derek Dietrich.
According to the Baseball-Reference.com play index — which includes data going back to 1908 — the most three-homer games in one season was 22 in 2001. Barry Bonds did it twice that year en route to the single-season home run record. Sammy Sosa had three three-homer games between Aug. 9 and Sept. 23. Jeromy Burnitz and Richie Sexson accomplished the feat in the same game for Milwaukee, in a September win over the eventual champion Diamondbacks.
Aside from 2001, only two other years are still ahead of 2019 on the list. There were 19 three-homer games in 2016, including two by Betts. There were 16 in 1999.
Boston Red Sox's Mookie Betts hits a two-run homer in front of New York Yankees catcher Austin Romine in the fourth inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park, Friday, July 26, 2019, in Boston. It was his third home run of the game. (AP PhotoElise Amendola)
Elsewhere around the majors:
HANGING AROUND
The Milwaukee Brewers have been outscored by 16 runs on the season, but they're five games over .500 and just a game out of first place in the NL Central. Milwaukee just took two of three from Chicago, winning both games in its last at-bat before the Cubs avoided a sweep by winning Sunday.
The Brewers have the third-worst ERA in the National League at 4.68, so it will be interesting to see if they can improve their pitching before the trade deadline.
CHAOS
The Tampa Bay Rays moved pitcher Adam Kolarek from the mound to first base in a 3-2 win over Boston on Wednesday. The idea was to keep Kolarek in the game so he could return to the mound later, but the strategy caused all sorts of confusion and led Red Sox manager Alex Cora to protest the game. Cora didn't agree with the way the umpires handled Tampa Bay's batting order after the unusual changes to the lineup, and the game was delayed quite a bit.
HIGHLIGHT
Minnesota turned a 5-4-3 triple play against the Yankees last Monday night on Edwin Encarnación's grounder. Luis Arraez stepped on third and threw to second baseman Jonathan Schoop, who relayed to first. The plays at second and first were both close, making this defensive gem even more impressive.
LINE OF THE WEEK
Any of those three-homer games would be a reasonable choice here, but Canó gets bonus points because his home runs accounted for all of New York's scoring in a 5-2 win over San Diego.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James needed only one more rebound late in the Los Angeles Lakers' win over Atlanta to become the oldest NBA player to record a triple-double.
But when the Lakers finally pushed their lead into insurmountable territory, the 41-year-old James gladly stopped just short of history.
After playing in back-to-back games for the first time in his unprecedented 23rd season, James needs every possible minute of rest far more than he needs another career superlative. He committed a take foul with 3:43 left and headed straight to the bench, replaced by his 21-year-old son, Bronny.
James finished with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in the Lakers' 141-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. He didn't quite snare his 123rd triple-double, but this vintage performance demonstrated yet again that James can still reach extraordinary heights, even at this late stage in the longest career in league history.
And even if he pays for that exertion with uncountable hours of daily recovery off the court.
“Oh, I feel it,” James said with a smirk in the Lakers' locker room. “I feel it right now. I’m ready to get home, get me something to eat and call it quits. I’m feeling it right now, for sure.”
James surprised coach JJ Redick by deciding to play against the Hawks. The Lakers took their third straight loss at Sacramento on Monday night, and James hadn't played back-to-back games since his return from the sciatica that delayed his season debut until mid-November.
“His competitive stamina is off the charts,” Redick said. “We didn’t expect him to be able to play. That’s just the nature of a 41-year-old body who plays heavy minutes. He just said, ‘I’m going to try. I’m going to try to do everything I can, do my normal routine, and then if I’m able to go ...’”
James' game-day routine is incredibly extensive, as he detailed after beating the Hawks.
He wakes up at home and goes straight into a cold tub, followed by a hyperbaric chamber. After a nap, James puts his legs in air compression sleeves designed for recovery while he plays the EA Sports PGA Tour video game.
He heads to the Lakers' downtown arena, where more work begins: muscle activation, treatments, stretching, weightlifting and a pregame meal while watching Tiger Woods' simulated indoor golf league.
Although he wasn't expected to play against Atlanta, James decided to treat Tuesday as a game day to see how his body would react.
“I think I feel pretty good,” James told his trainers.
And then he went out and made history, even if he just missed the triple-double. James scored at least 30 points while posting a double-double for the 61st time in a Lakers uniform, surpassing Kobe Bryant's career total.
Karl Malone remains the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, doing it at 40 years and 127 days old in November 2003. The next 15 triple-doubles on that list were all posted by James over the past three years — but he hasn't done it since last Feb. 1 at New York.
A few hours after that historic feat, James was having dinner in Manhattan when he learned the Lakers had traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic.
The Lakers were immediately transformed from a wobbling fringe contender built around two aging superstars into a younger, more exciting group centered around the Slovenian superstar.
James and Doncic are nearly one year into their partnership, and they're still learning how to win while minimizing the overlap in their games. They're also currently figuring out ways to make up for the absence of No. 3 scorer Austin Reaves, who is halfway through a month's absence with a calf injury.
James is playing off the ball more than he has in years, with Doncic usually initiating the Lakers' offense. James is also leading the Lakers' second unit, often to great success, when Doncic takes a break.
James seems to welcome this role, and he says his team-first focus hasn't changed even while he spends extensive time preparing his body to defy time and mileage for another year.
“I would never disrespect the basketball gods when it comes to playing this game, so I put the time and the effort and the commitment in it, mentally, physically, spiritually,” James said. “Every time I hit the floor, if I’m at a practice or whatever, I’m trying to set the example for my teammates and the younger generation that’s watching me."
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, tries to get past Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, dribbles as guard Marcus Smart follows during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
