Leadoff Hitters Set MLB Record for Leadoff Homers in a Month

New York Mets center fielder Curtis Granderson opened Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins with a bang, smacking a 0-1 pitch from Marlins starter Dan Straily over the right field fence for an early 1-0 lead.

Just minutes later, Cincinnati Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton added a leadoff shot of his own against Milwaukee Brewers starter Junior Guerra, marking the 32nd leadoff homer for the month of June. The tally set a record for most leadoff home runs in a calendar month, surpassing the previous record of 31 set in May of last season, per the Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN).

Granderson's leadoff homer also marked his third since the start of the Mets road trip that began June 19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. No other leadoff hitter has notched three leadoff home runs in a single road trip.

The leadoff spot in the batting order has been generally reserved for speedy hitters with the ability to reach base consistently. However, some teams have begun placing hitters with plenty of power atop the order—including the Chicago Cubs with Anthony Rizzo and the Houston Astros with George Springer.

Springer leads the league in leadoff homers this season, collecting eight over 71 games out of the spot, per Baseball Reference. Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Corey Dickers trails slightly behind, connecting on six home runs over 39 leadoff at-bats.

With three days remaining in the month, plenty of opportunities await for that total to rise further. Regardless, it appears the leadoff spot in the batting order is no longer devoid of the power generally found in the middle of the batting order.