Ranking the greatest bat flips in history
The great thing about the bat flip.
It’s an artwork kind, and once you mix a bat flip artist’s creativity with a momentous swing of the bat, the byproduct is sensational. And it is all magnified exponentially within the postseason.
Here’s a take a look at the best bat flips in baseball historical past.
1. José Bautista, Blue Jays
2015 ALDS Game 5 vs. Rangers
After Joe Carter’s title-winning walk-off homer in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series, the Blue Jays went one other 21 years with out reaching the postseason. Bautista was one of many key figures within the franchise’s revival, serving to the membership return to the playoffs in 2015, and he delivered one of many greatest house runs in crew historical past in Game 5 of that yr’s ALDS vs. the Rangers.
With two runners on and the rating tied at 3-3 within the backside of the seventh, Bautista launched a mammoth three-run homer to left-center area that rocked Rogers Centre and put Toronto en path to a sequence win. “Joey Bats” then turned “Joey Batflips,” standing tall on the plate and emphatically flinging his bat apart earlier than beginning his house run trot. The Rangers harbored some in poor health will concerning the flip, resulting in a brawl between the 2 golf equipment — with Bautista and Rougned Odor on the heart — the next May.
2. Rhys Hoskins, Phillies
2022 NLDS Game 3 vs. Braves
For 11 straight Octobers, Citizens Bank Park sat dormant through the postseason. In 2022, Hoskins helped Phillies followers neglect about that postseason drought with a bat slam for the ages within the crew’s NLDS matchup in opposition to the rival Braves.
With the Phillies already main 1-0 within the third inning, Hoskins received a middle-middle fastball from Braves starter Spencer Strider that he launched deep into left area. Hoskins instantly knew the ball was gone, elevating his palms within the air in celebration earlier than spiking his bat close to house plate. Hoskins punctuated the bat slam with a dash across the bases that ended with a raucous celebration in and across the Phils’ dugout.
3. Yoenis Cespedes, Mets
2015 NLDS Game 3 vs. Dodgers
Cespedes was excellent for the Mets after being acquired on the 2015 Trade Deadline, serving to New York win the National League East and make all of it the best way to the World Series. Fittingly, the slugger made his presence identified within the first ever playoff recreation at Citi Field — Game 3 of the 2015 NLDS vs. the Dodgers.
With New York already main, 7-3, within the fourth inning, Cespedes hammered a two-out, three-run blast that blew the sport open and despatched the group right into a frenzy. Cespedes punctuated the house run with a majestic flip of the bat as he left the field.
4. Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres
2020 NL Wild Card Series Game 2 vs. Cardinals
This flip was borne of greater than sheer joyous pleasure for launching a second house run to pad San Diego’s lead — although that was actually a big a part of it. This was the cherry on prime for the largest recreation of Tatis’ younger and spectacular profession. The best-of-three sequence didn’t begin out effectively for the 21-year-old shortstop — he was 1-for-6 with three strikeouts and had left 10 males on base previous to the at-bat during which he hit a three-run homer to get the Padres, who had been on the doorstep of elimination, again into the sport in opposition to St. Louis.
And then got here the swing that produced one of many nice bat flips of all-time: With a full rely and two outs within the seventh inning, Tatis related on a 96.4 mph fastball from Cardinals reliever Daniel Ponce de Leon and drove it over the right-field wall for a two-run homer. The house run turned a 7-6 Padres lead right into a 9-6 lead, which turned out to be crucial on condition that St. Louis scored three extra instances within the 11-9 San Diego victory. The Tatis flip was instantly in comparison with Bautista’s iconic flip from 2015, and for good motive.
5. Tom Lawless, Cardinals
1987 World Series Game 4 vs. Twins
Lawless had one profession house run when he got here to the plate within the fourth inning of 1987 World Series Game 4 vs. the Twins, however he regarded like a bat-flipping veteran after hitting a tie-breaking three-run homer to left area off left-hander Frank Viola.
As the Busch Stadium crowd went bonkers, Lawless admired his lengthy ball and began up the first-base line along with his bat nonetheless in hand earlier than tossing it excessive into the air, finish over finish.
6. Manny Ramirez, Red Sox
2007 ALDS Game 2 vs. Angels
Three years after David Ortiz hit a walk-off homer over the Green Monster to complete a Red Sox sweep within the ALDS vs. the Angels, Manny Ramirez put Boston getting ready to one other ALDS sweep with one among his personal. Same opponent, similar park, practically the identical location.
In one steady movement, Ramirez launched a rocket into the Boston night time off Angels nearer Francisco Rodriguez, let the bat fly off his backswing and raised his palms in celebration, remaining at house plate momentarily to look at the ball fly out of the park.
7. Cody Bellinger, Dodgers
2020 NLCS Game 7 vs. Braves
With the Dodgers and Braves tied, 3-3, within the backside of the seventh inning and the NL pennant hanging within the steadiness, Bellinger completely crushed a Chris Martin fastball over the wall in proper area to offer Los Angeles the late 4-3 lead at Globe Life Field. He knew the ball was gone off the bat, and instantly flipped the bat out in entrance of house plate as a reverse of his follow-through. He then accomplished the transfer by strutting towards first base whereas watching his blast sail into the right-field seats, 400 ft away. It was a masterpiece of a bat flip within the brightest of spotlights.
8. Pete Alonso, Mets
May 7, 2019 at Padres
One day after Padres rookie right-hander Chris Paddock questioned Alonso’s credentials because the National League Rookie of the Month for April, Alonso answered with a mammoth house run within the ninth inning of a tie recreation.
Alonso crushed a 2-2 fastball from Padres reliever Adam Warren, and it sailed a projected 449 ft from house plate at 114.7 mph, placing close to the third deck of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in left area. As he started his home-run trot, he let unfastened along with his bat behind him, narrowly lacking home-plate umpire Bill Miller.
9. Bryce Harper, Phillies
April 2, 2019 at Nationals
Back in Washington one month after signing a 13-year, $330 million contract with the rival Phillies, Harper was greeted with boos and struck out in opposition to Nats ace Max Scherzer in every of his first two at-bats. But the outfielder received the final chortle within the eighth inning, going yard and following up his colossal blast with a bat flip that had many buzzing effectively after the sport.
10. Asdrubal Cabrera, Mets
Sept. 22, 2016 vs. Phillies
Cabrera broke out the hardly ever seen two-handed bat flip after his walk-off, three-run homer, which got here with the Mets within the thick of a heated NL Wild Card race and gave New York a 9-8 win in 11 innings.
Narrowing down baseball’s prime bat flips to 10 was extraordinarily tough, as there may be an infinite provide of sturdy candidates. Here are some extra memorable bat-flip moments.
Willson Contreras, Cubs
Sept. 25, 2020, at White Sox
The Cubs’ offense was caught in a rut, however Contreras took issues into his personal palms when he crushed a 99 mph fastball from White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease and deposited it over the wall in proper area for a three-run homer within the third inning. The smash was adopted by an impressive bat flip — as in, actually majestic. The bat was despatched so excessive within the air, that on a replay of the baseball crusing over the wall at Guaranteed Rate Field, the bat regarded as if it was greater within the air than the baseball from the digital camera’s vantage level. Watch >
Tim Anderson, White Sox
April 17, 2019, vs. Royals
Anderson is without doubt one of the most enjoyable gamers to look at in baseball as a result of he performs with a lot emotion. His epic bat flip — extra like a bat spike — and fired-up response after launching a house run off the Royals’ Brad Keller was the discuss of baseball. Watch >
Odubel Herrera, Phillies
May 25, 2016, at Tigers
Herrera confirmed a willingness to flip his bat on homers, singles and sac flies alike. This sky-high flip on a homer in opposition to the Tigers in 2016 is maybe his biggest masterpiece. Watch >
Todd Frazier, Reds
June 17, 2015, vs. Tigers
How do you make a walk-off grand slam within the thirteenth inning even higher? By unleashing an unimaginable bat flip to have a good time it. Frazier was simply warming up, as lower than a month later, he would grow to be the primary participant ever to win the Home Run Derby on his house area. Watch >
David Ortiz, Red Sox
July 27, 2014, at Rays
Ortiz performed with plain swagger, and his bat flips had been no exception. Want proof? Check out his underhand toss after slugging a monster house run off Chris Archer in 2014. Watch >
Yasiel Puig, Dodgers
May 9, 2014, vs. Giants
Puig is one other well-known bat flipper, and he drew the ire of fiery Giants hurler Madison Bumgarner for his nonchalant bat toss and sluggish house run trot after taking the left-hander deep in May 2014. Watch >
Starling Marte, Pirates
May 2, 2014, vs. Blue Jays
You don’t see too many bat flips into truthful territory, however Marte flung his bat ahead nearly instantly after making contact on his walk-off homer vs. the Blue Jays. Watch >
Albert Pujols, Cardinals
Aug. 28, 2009, vs. Nationals
After hitting such a colossal blast for a walk-off homer vs. the Nats, Pujols wasn’t about to finesse his bat flip. “The Machine” tossed his bat away with authority earlier than starting his victory lap. Watch >
Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays
Sept. 25, 2003, vs. Devil Rays
Delgado was locked in in opposition to Tampa Bay on today, turning into the fifteenth participant in Major League historical past to crush 4 homers in a single recreation. He put the exclamation level on his efficiency with an overhand bat flip towards Toronto’s dugout after house run No. 4. Watch >
Barry Bonds, Giants
Oct. 4, 2001, at Astros
A history-making second required an epic bat flip to match, and Bonds went for the baseball equal of a mic drop after tying Mark McGwire’s single-season house run document along with his seventieth of the yr. Watch >
