Jackson Chourio Powers the Brewers to Another Win, Proves How Special He Is Again

Spencer Bivens got ambushed. It's not his fault; this is happening a lot with pitchers lately. With the scoreboard and the count both reading 1-0 in the top of the eighth inning Thursday night, Bivens went with a low sinker to Jackson Chourio, and the Brewers rookie pounced, riding it easily out of the park to right field. The blast tripled Milwaukee's lead and gave the bullpen breathing room. It also highlighted the most extraordinary aspect of Chourio's breakout.

Going back to the early 2000s, which is as far back as comprehensive batted-ball direction data goes, only two hitters have had more extra-base hits to their opposite field in an age-20 season or younger than Chourio's 14: Bryce Harper and Juan Soto. For that matter, Chourio has three extra-base hits to right this month, and is only one behind Harper. He could end up more prolific in this specific regard than anyone but Soto.

It's been remarkable to see this aspect of his game blossom as the season has progressed. Chourio's first career home run was to the opposite field, but by and large, he had a hard time tapping into his power until June began. Since then, of course, he's slugging .540 and using all fields effectively, from the line shots to right to majestic homers to left and left-center field. To stand shy only of Soto, he's had to do more damage going the other way than players like Giancarlo Stanton (then Mike), Rafael Devers, Carlos Correa, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Manny Machado each did at age 20. The fascinating thing is that, with the exception of Acuna, that group includes only players with freakish physicality--the kind who show up even at a young age, already big and strapping.

Chourio is, of course, a legitimately freakish athlete, but he's not a big person, by baseball player standards. He's listed at six feet and 198 pounds, and the former is probably a slight overstatement. Among players 22 or younger, six feet or shorter and 200 pounds or lighter, there have only been a fisftul of players who even hit the ball to the opposite field with any regularity, going back at least two decades.

Most smallish hitters don't hit for power, except when they can guess right and get behind a ball to their pull field. Chourio is a thrilling exception to that rule. The more we get to see of him, the more complete a player he appears to be--something like Mookie Betts, or like Acuna. He offers an echo of fellow short, powerful all-fields outfield sluggers, like Henry Aaron and WIllie Mays.

Without Christian Yelich, the Brewers need this kind of power presence. Even when Yelich was healthy, he wasn't always a reliable font of that pop, but he did make their lineup more dangerous. Now that he's out for the year, Chourio is the best candidate to replace what was lost. With each passing series, he does something new and exceptional, and his home run in San Francisco was a preview of one more way he could break a game open come October.