WATCH: Giancarlo Stanton Blasts First Home Run of Spring Training Out of Stadium

TAMPA — A few hours before first pitch, Giancarlo Stanton was asked if he thinks he's a better hitter now than he was in 2017 when he won the National League Most Valuable Player Award.

"I definitely am a better hitter than that point," Stanton said. "Have the results showed? No. But I am."

Based on what he did in his second at-bat of the game that evening against the Pirates, those results are starting to show.

Stanton annihilated a 2-2 pitch from Pittsburgh's left-hander Tyler Anderson, sending a missile past the left-field foul pole and out of George M. Steinbrenner Field. 

The three-run homer flew 420 feet and left the slugger's bat at 115.1 mph, per Statcast.

Here's another look from the television broadcast.

It was Stanton's first home run of the spring in his fourth appearance in an exhibition game. Stanton entered play on Wednesday hitting .286 (2-for-7) through his first three games.

Those two hits came on Sunday when Stanton unleashed a pair of doubles against the Phillies that also made you want to look at Statcast instantaneously. Both two-base hits traveled at north of 109 mph. That's nothing compared to Wednesday's rocket, though.

Seconds after Stanton's home run, extending the Yankees' early lead, shortstop Gleyber Torres followed with a long ball of his own. His solo shot caromed off the scoreboard in left-center field. 

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