Apr 15, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt singles during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Paul Goldschmidt hit 33 home runs with 110 RBI in 2015. Jake Roth USA TODAY Sports
Now that Paul Goldschmidt has been granted his second-career Silver Slugger Award for his spectacular performance at the plate in 2015, let's take a look back at the highlights of the Arizona Diamondbacks slugger's season.
Goldschmidt hit a total of 33 home runs and drove in 110 runs in 2015, which leaves us with no dearth of awe-inspiring blasts, but here are the top 11 out of the many of Goldschmidt's dazzling homers this past season.
1. Off reigning Cy Young winner (April 11)
The D-backs, who have jumped on Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw at Chase Field in the past couple years, scored four runs on the reigning NL MVP and Cy Young Award winner through six innings.
Goldschmidt added to the D-backs' lead when Kershaw left a slider over the middle of the plate, which he didn't miss and ripped a shot into the left-center bleachers for a two-run homer. The blast sent Chase Field into a frenzy, and boosted Arizona's lead to 6-0 over the pitcher who is often revered as the best in baseball.
2. Off reigning World Series MVP (April 17)
After besting the reigning NL MVP and Cy Young winner, Goldschmidt upped the ante when he faced reigning World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner in a tied game with two runners on.
When Bumgarner tried to elevate a fastball, Goldschmidt jumped on it, crushing a no-doubter well over the wall. The booming crack of the bat echoed throughout AT&T Park, into McCovey Cove, and beyond. Goldschmidt set the tone for a terrific season early on by topping the top best pitchers in the NL.
3. Break out the tape measure (May 8)
A month into the season, Goldschmidt hit a tape-measure shot. When San Diego Padres ace James Shields missed his spot with a 90-mph fastball, Goldschmidt didn't miss his chance to hit the ball a mile. He loaded up and cranked the ball 443 feet to left-center.
4. Clutch game-tying shot (May 22)
With the D-backs trailing, 4-2, in the bottom of the 10th with two outs, their outlook looked bleak, but with one swing, Goldschmidt brought fireworks to Chase Field. An excellent fastball hitter, Goldy locked in on a high fastball over the middle of the plate and demolished it to left-center field, tying up the game.
Chase Field erupted upon Goldschmidt's contact with the ball. D-backs fans knew it was gone immediately.
5,6. Twice is nice (May 30)
Goldschmidt terrorized Kyle Lohse in May. After crushing a solo shot over the left-field wall in the third inning, the slugger produced an encore in the fifth that did even more damage to Lohse's outing.
Lohse tried to sneak a fastball past Goldschmidt on a 2-2 count, but he was well prepared, sending the ball bouncing off the batter's eye in center field for a three-run shot.
7. Putting a dent in Harvey (June 4)
On June 4, Goldschmidt played the antihero to New York Mets ace Matt Harvey, nicknamed "The Dark Knight." On a 2-0 hitters' count, Harvey threw a 95-mph fastball that the D-backs first baseman pulverized opposite field for a 432-foot home run that landed on the pool deck in right-center field at Chase Field.
8. A laser off the beam (August 26)
As seen in the above videos, when Paul Goldschmidt is served a fastball over the plate, he crushes it -- and John Lackey found that out the hard way.
When Lackey tried to get Goldschmidt down in an 0-2 hole with a low fastball, he missed high and served up a meatball to Goldschmidt, who decimated it, sending it off a metal beam deep in left-center field.
The estimated distance on the blast: 471 feet.
9. He's going the distance (August 28)
Two days after hitting a 471-foot shot, Goldschmidt hit a ball nearly as far. Facing switch-pitcher Pat Venditte, he took advantage of a sweeping slider left over the plate and sent it into orbit. The ball, which traveled an estimated 466 feet, caromed off the batter's eye below the scoreboard in center field at nearly the same height he hit the ball two days prior.
10. Adios, pelota (October 3)
By October, the D-backs were out of playoff contention, but they were fervently still trying to win games. Sporting a "Los D-backs" jersey for Hispanic Heritage Day, Goldschmidt tattooed a pitch from Will Harris well into the left-field stands for a solo home run that was measured at 438 feet.
11. Clutch, no matter the circumstances (October 4)
In the Diamondbacks' final game of the season, with no shot at making the postseason, Goldschmidt came up clutch and helped Arizona head into the offseason with a win.
Tied, 3-3, in the seventh with the Astros, the D-backs had a runner on and no outs and Goldschmidt battling in a 3-2 count.
Taking advantage of an off-speed pitch over the middle of the plate from Chad Qualls, Goldschmidt smacked a two-run shot just inside the left-field foul pole to give the D-backs a decisive 5-3 lead and send them into the offseason with their heads held high.
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