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The 5 Best MLB Moments from Tuesday

Mad Max meets the Wonderful World of Wander.

Wynn McDonald
Best MLB Moments 6/23/2021

They say that first impressions are everything. Any time you start a new job, getting off on the right foot can make all the difference. But it’s especially true when that job is Major League Baseball player, and people around the world are watching your first day in excitement to see whether or not you’re up to snuff.

Tuesday was that day for Wander Franco, and for the rest of the baseball world, it was Wander Franco Day.

MLB’s no. 1 prospect did more than make a good impression last night—he took the show by storm. But before we get to the highlight of the night, let’s run through some of the other fun moments from a busy day of baseball.

First, we got the exciting news that the Orioles are calling up former indy ball hurler Mickey Jannis for his big league debut. You may remember him as the knuckleballer who went viral back in March in this mesmerizing video:

When Jannis debuts, he’ll be the first knuckleballer to pitch in MLB since Steven Wright in 2019. About time! Perhaps Jannis’ magic knuckler is the answer to this cryptic tweet sent out by atMLB:

If you need a laugh today, I recommend scrolling through the quote tweets on that. They’re all great. But I’ll save you the trouble and share the #1 contender, as far as I’m concerned:

Tuesday’s games also gave us some fun moments, including a little dugout thumb war:

Christian Yelich launched a hot tub homer:

The D-Backs, classy as always, showed some outstanding sportsmanship by refusing to tag out an injured player:

And Dansby Swanson did… whatever he’s doing here:

https://twitter.com/gifs_baseball/status/1407523096245030912?s=20

But before we get too off track, let’s not forget the man of the hour. Catch up on the Wander story with this sick hype video:

I feel like I could run through a wall. Instead, I’m going to run through the five best moments from Tuesday. Let’s go.

It’s a Wanderful Life

With all eyes glued on him, Wander wasted no time showing us why he belongs at this level. After falling behind 0-2 in his first Major League at-bat, he battled back to earn a six-pitch walk. Four batters later, he scored his first run. The inning was impressive enough that many were already prepared to call his first game a success.

Then he came up to the plate in the fifth inning and politely told those people to hold his beer.

First hit? Check. First homer? Check. Tie game? Double check. But the best part of the whole thing was his dad’s reaction in the stands, which we got to see thanks to the Rays’ video team:

With the blast, Franco became the youngest player to homer in his first career since Jurickson Profar in 2012. And he still wasn’t satisfied: he added a 105-mph double in the seventh inning, then made this fantastic play on defense one frame later:

Not bad for a rookie. Think this guy’s got a future?

Don’t Make Max Mad

Amidst all the Franco hype, the other biggest story of the night was the cluster of attention suddenly being paid to pitchers as a result of MLB’s new enforcement of their sticky stuff policy, which went into effect on Monday. The first high-profile casualty was Max Scherzer, and he was none too happy about Joe Girardi’s repeated calls to have him checked for foreign substances. Here’s Jomboy’s breakdown of the whole situation:

I don’t know what Girardi’s plan was, but as a longtime Braves fan, I know one thing: if you see this, it’s too late.

https://gfycat.com/delightfulrelievedgosling

One of his victims was Odubel Herrera, who took a little too long getting ready for Max’s liking:

Scherzer ended up earning the win with a final line of 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 8 K, and 3 TCFSSS (Times Checked For Suspicious Sticky Stuff). The Nats won, 3-2. And if you can believe it, that wasn’t even the wildest thing that happened during last night’s substance checks.

That honor goes to Sergio Romo, who went where Max wouldn’t by actually taking off his pants to prove his point to the snooping umps. See for yourself:

Is this what Rob Manfred was hoping for when he implemented this policy in the middle of the season with little warning? Your guess is as good as mine, but we may as well enjoy it. From now on, in the name of transparency, pants are optional!

Afternoon Aggression

Daytime baseball in the heat of summer can put anyone’s nerves on edge. And if there’s one thing scarier than being charged by Max Scherzer, it’s probably Nelson Cruz doing this after a HBP:

https://twitter.com/gifs_baseball/status/1407413051389890564?s=20

Thankfully, Wade Miley was able to recover from his shock and throw seven strong innings. But the Reds did a little antagonizing of their own later via Nick Castellanos (who else?), who hilariously mocked Hansel Robles‘ wobbling delivery after a ninth-inning double:

Cincinnati got the last laugh, too, as Robles surrendered the game-winning three-run homer to Tyler Naquin two batters later. Might want to workshop that hesi move a little more, guy.

Flippin’ Chops

Even without our usual dose of Ohtani Bombs (I blame you, Tony Disco), Tuesday was a sneaky good day for dingers. It gave us this ridiculous missile from Luke Voit that left the park in approximately 0.3 seconds:

…and of course, his top-notch dugout celebration:

It also gave us this mega-clutch, game-winning, pinch-hit moonshot from Yasmani Grandal, complete with an “I don’t need you anymore” bat discard of epic proportions:

But the best flip of the night, surprisingly, came on a base hit to right.

I’ll be honest, I lost count. I think it might still be in the air. But it’s at least 32.

Look Out Below

Playing in a dome can be nice, especially when it rains. When you’re a right fielder searching for a popup, not so much. Poor Manuel Margot got Trop’d on this hit from Rafael Devers:

Don’t worry—no cats were harmed in the making of this hit.

Happy Hump Day, people! Let’s all make good impressions today.

Wynn McDonald

Born a Kentuckian, much like Dan Uggla. Braves fan by choice, unlike Dan Uggla. I enjoy long walks on the Brandon Beachy. @twynstagram

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