Singleton returns strong with his first home runs since 2015

HOUSTON — It was a swing that took more than eight years to make. and he felt so good jon singleton that he decided to do it again just 26 minutes later.

Singleton, the former Astros No. 1 prospect whose promising career was derailed by a battle with drug addiction, found his way back to Minute Maid Park on Friday and played the game of his life. Singleton hit a pair of long home runs, driving in a career-high five runs to lead the Astros to an 11-3 victory over the Angels.

“It’s a great feeling,” Singleton said. “It’s a place that feels like home.”

Singleton’s three-run home run in the second inning off Angels starter Reid Detmers was his first in the majors since July 29, 2015, with the Astros. He spent eight years and 13 days between long balls, which is the longest gap by any player since pitcher Jake Peavy spent nine years, 52 days between home runs from 2006-15, and the longest for a position player since Rafael Belliard had a 10-year, 144-day gap between 1987 and 1997, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Additionally, Singleton is the first player in history to have a multi-homer game for his first MLB home runs in more than eight years, according to OptaSTATS.

“That was a great night,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “That’s a long time between major league home runs. The guys were happy for him and wanted him to get another one, but we’ll take what we can.”

Singleton went 3 for 4 with a single and a walk on a night the Astros reached double-digit runs without the top four hitters in their order scoring a run. But tonight was all about Singleton, the big man who returned to the majors earlier this year with Milwaukee and was released after going 3-for-29 in 11 games. He signed a minor league contract with the Astros and appeared in 33 games at Triple-A, hitting 12 home runs, before he was brought back Tuesday.

“I’m very happy for him today,” Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander said. “Obviously, it’s been a long road and to go back to the big leagues and have a game like today, really special.”

Singleton signed a five-year, $10 million contract just before the Astros called him up to the majors on June 3, 2014. He struggled on the field and received multiple suspensions for marijuana use until, in 2018, after a third failed test, Houston released him. Singleton was out of organized baseball before opening a gym in 2020 and getting in shape.

Singleton had a promising stint in the Mexican League in 2021, signed a minor league deal with the Brewers in 2022, and endured a rollercoaster start to 2023 that saw him made to Milwaukee’s 40-man roster, then released when the club needed freeing up a spot, then re-signed to continue a quest to return to the big leagues.

“It’s a great story, the fact that it happened here and he helped us win a ball game,” Baker said.

In the second inning, Singleton smashed a 2-0 fastball and sent it 390 feet down the right-field line to put Houston ahead, 3-1. It was his first home run since leading the Angels’ Garrett Richards deep in a 6-3 win at Houston in 2015. He smashed a Detmers slider in the third inning and hit a nearly identical home run that traveled 389 feet. The two-run homer made it 7-2.

“That’s where I wanted to go,” Detmers said. “That’s what the scouting report said: investigate it. Obviously the slider moved back a bit. But he just got the best of me.”

Asked if he knew both home runs had gone, Singleton smiled and said, “Yeah… definitely.”

Traded to the Astros from the Mets at the trade deadline, Verlander made his second start for Houston and his first at home since last year’s World Series. He held the Angels to three runs and six hits and struck out seven batters in six innings for his 251st career win, tying Bob Gibson and CC Sabathia for 45th on the all-time list.

“The routine of things felt very familiar,” he said. “Coming out for the first time and the reaction from the fans was really great. I put my headphones on and got distracted and did my thing before heading out on the field. Coming out here and hearing the cheers from the fans was very special.”

The ovations were just beginning.