Comerica Park is known for being a pitcher-friendly ballpark due to its large outfield and a 420-foot distance to center field. One of the hitters who plays 81 games per year there has had enough of that.
Outfielder Nicholas Castellanos dismissed the home of the Detroit Tigers after Sunday’s 4-3 ten-inning win that saw him deliver a walkoff home run. He called the park a “joke” and worried about how Detroit’s hitters may compare to the rest of the league statistically as a result of its size.
Castellanos on Comerica National Park:
"This park is a joke. It's to the point where how are we going to be compared to the rest of the league for power numbers, OPS, slugging and all this stuff when we got a yard out here that's 420 feet straight across to center field"— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) July 21, 2019
Comerica Park’s dimensions have been a talking point ever since it opened in 2000, and the left field fences were moved in a few years after its debut. Castellanos, despite his complaints, has hit 20 points better in Detroit since entering the big leagues as opposed to on the road, though he has hit more home runs away from home. As understandable as Castellanos’ frustration is, plenty of hitters have been successful there, and Miguel Cabrera won a Triple Crown playing home games at Comerica.
Castellanos is in the final year of his contract and is almost certain to leave Detroit at the end of the season, if not sooner. He may get a move to a ballpark that can play more hitter-friendly by the July 31 trade deadline.
