What is a Home Run
When a batter hits the ball out of play in fair territory, scoring a run for themselves and any runners on base.
A home run is one of the most thrilling and celebrated plays in all of baseball. When a batter hits the ball over the outfield fence in fair territory — or occasionally inside the park — every runner on base, including the batter, scores a run. It is the most efficient way to score in baseball, and a single swing of the bat can completely change the momentum of a game.
How a Home Run Works
A home run is scored when a batter hits a fair ball that travels over the outfield fence without being caught. All runners already on base, plus the batter, circle the bases and score. If there are runners on all three bases when a home run is hit, the result is a grand slam — the maximum possible four runs scored on one play.
In rare cases, a batter can also hit an inside-the-park home run, where the ball stays in play but the batter is fast enough to round all the bases and reach home plate before being thrown out.
Types of Home Runs
- Solo home run — Only the batter scores; no runners were on base.
- Two-run home run — The batter and one runner on base score.
- Three-run home run — The batter and two runners score.
- Grand slam — Bases are loaded; all four players score.
Home Run Records
The home run is one of the most tracked statistics in baseball history. Barry Bonds holds the all-time MLB single-season record with 73 home runs in 2001. Hank Aaron held the career record for decades with 755, before being surpassed by Bonds, who finished with 762.
Why Home Runs Matter
Home runs are a key offensive weapon. Teams that hit for power can compensate for lower batting averages by scoring in large bursts. In the modern era, analytics have emphasized the value of the home run over contact hitting, leading to what analysts call the "three true outcomes" approach — home run, strikeout, or walk.
Home run hitters are often among the highest-paid players in baseball, and a power hitter capable of 30 or more home runs per season is considered a franchise cornerstone.
Home Runs in Strategy
Managers often stack their lineup with power hitters in the middle (positions 3–5), ensuring that home run threats come up with runners on base as frequently as possible. Pitchers work hard to avoid throwing pitches in the "home run zone" — the area where a hitter has the most bat speed and leverage.
If watching home run hitters is your favorite part of the game, the MLB Shop carries official jerseys and gear for every team — including the sluggers chasing the next home run record.