Munro: Canadian MLBers that have gone deep off fellow Canadians

Matt Stairs (Fredericton, N.B.) clubbed three home runs off of fellow Canuck Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, B.C.) throughout his career. Photo: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

July 26, 2019

By Neil Munro

Canadian Baseball Network

On July 14, San Diego Padres outfielder Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) had two hits off of Atlanta Braves pitcher and fellow Canadian Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) in the Braves’ 4-1 win at Petco Park.

It was an impressive showing for Naylor against the young Canadian righty, who was a National League all-star just a week earlier.

What Naylor didn’t do, however, was belt a Soroka pitch out of the park, so for now, his name remains absent from the list of Canadians who have clubbed major league home runs off fellow Canadians.

In total, Canuck batters have socked 48 major league home runs off Canuck pitchers. Frederiction, N.B., native Matt Stairs’ three home runs off Gibsons, B.C., native Ryan Dempster are the most by a Canadian hitter off a Canadian pitcher.

And as you’ll see on the list below, Canadians have been taking their fellow countrymen deep at the big level since 1883.

Canadian Batters Hitting Home Runs Off Of Canadian Pitchers

BatterTeamLeagueYearPitcherTeam
Pop SmithColuAA1883Bob EmslieBalt
Pop SmithColuAA1884Tip O'NeillS.L.
Bill PhillipsBrklAA1885Bill MountjoyCinc
Jeff HeathClevAL1940Joe KrakauskasWash
Jeff HeathClevAL1941Phil MarchildonPhil
Jeff HeathClevAL1942Dick FowlerPhil
Frank ColmanN.Y.AL1946Phil MarchildonPhil
Goody RosenN.Y.NL1946Ed BahrPitts
Sherry RobertsonWashAL1946Phil MarchildonPhil
Jeff HeathS.L.AL1947Phil MarchildonPhil
Sherry RobertsonWashAL1948Phil MarchildonPhil
Tim HarknessL.A.NL1962Ray DaviaultN.Y.
Tim HarknessN.Y.NL1963Ron TaylorS.L.
Larry WalkerColorNL1997Jason DicksonAnah
Larry WalkerColorNL1999Ryan DempsterFlor
Matt StairsOaklAL1999Paul SpoljaricToron
Kevin ReimerMilwAL1993Kirk McCaskillChic
Kevin ReimerMilwAL1993Kirk McCaskillChic
Kevin ReimerMilwAL1993Paul QuantrillBost
Larry WalkerColorNL2001Ryan DempsterFlor
Larry WalkerColorNL2001Eric GagneL.A.
Matt StairsMilwNL2002Ryan DempsterCinc
Matt StairsMilwNL2002Chris Reitsma*Cinc
Larry WalkerColorNL2003Chris Reitsma*Cinc
Matt StairsPittsNL2003Ryan DempsterCinc
Matt StairsPittsNL2003Ryan DempsterCinc
Jason BayPittsNL2005Jeff FrancisColor
Jason BayPittsNL2006Jeff FrancisColor
Justin MorneauMinnAL2006Erik BedardBalt
Justin MorneauMinnAL2007Erik BedardBalt
Russell MartinL.A.NL2007Shawn HillWash
Jason BayPittsBL2008Eric GagneL.A.
Justin MorneauMinnAL2008Jeff FrancisColor
Mark TeahenK.C.AL2008Jeff FrancisColor
Jason BayBostAL2009Scott RichmondToron
Joey VottoCincNL2009Rich HardenChic
Mark TeahenK.C.AL2009Scott RichmondToro
George KottarasMilwNL2010Blake HawksworthS.L.
Joey VottoCincNL2010Ryan DempsterChic
Russell MartinN.Y.AL2011Rich HardenOakl
George KottarasMilwNL2012Ryan DempsterChic
Joey VottoCincNL2012Scott DiamondMinn
Justin MorneauMinnAL2012Ryan DempsterTexas
Russell MartinN.Y.AL2012Jesse CrainChic
Brett LawrieToroAL2013Ryan DempsterBost
Joey VottoCincNL2013Jim HendersonMilw