After a brief lull in theatrics, this past week brought big bat flips and quaking drops back with a fury, as we saw the best string of celebrations since the explosive Week 8 roundup. This time, we were treated to a thunderous display of emotion, excitement, and innovation as the best athletes from around the league did their best to outdo each other with their home run revelries. You can find all of that and more below, and don’t forget to sound off in the comments with your favorites and those you think we missed. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for the Best Bat Flips of June fan vote, dropping this Tuesday. Here we go!
7. Joey Votto vs. Enyel De Los Santos
https://gfycat.com/scratchydazzlingchimneyswift
6/28/2021 — PHI @ CIN
435ft, 108.0 mph, 27° LA
Joey Votto unloaded on center-cut cheese from Philadelphia’s Enyel De Los Santos last week, pouring salt in the wound of an already substantial deficit for the Phillies. Votto himself even looked slightly disgusted, taking a moment to watch the ball find its way into the cheap seats beyond the right-center field wall. His bat drop here was one of the stronger performances we’ve seen all season, as he wasted no time in dropping it into the dirt.
Style: 8
Speed: 1.33 seconds
Stank: 8
6. Jared Walsh vs. Aroldis Chapman
https://gfycat.com/caringcraftybarnowl
6/30/2021 — LAA @ NYY
401ft, 102.5 mph, 27° LA
Woof. The Yankees suffered an absolutely brutal meltdown last Wednesday, punctuated by this mammoth blast off of the bat of Jared Walsh to tie the game with one out in the ninth. It was Walsh’s second home run of the game, and it sent everybody home as Aroldis Chapman hung his head in disbelief. Walsh, who has never shied away from a strong bat drop, sent his bat tumbling through the air end over end as he watched the ball land 401 feet away in the Yankee bullpen. It completed a miraculous seven-run comeback for the Angels, who went on to win the game 11-8.
Style: 8
Rotation: 180°
Yankee Stadium: Silent
5. Jesse Winker vs. Nabil Crismatt
https://gfycat.com/enragedrespectfulamericancrayfish
6/29/2021 — SD @ CIN
410ft, 101.1 mph, 29° LA
Jesse Winker continued his rampage against National League pitching with a two-run bomb against Padres’ reliever Nabil Crismatt last week, punishing a 1-0 breaking ball left up in the zone. The recently announced All-Star starter then unleashed a killer bat flip, sending his lumber flying out of his hands and into the grass feet away.
Style: 8.5
Rotation: 190°
Height: 9
4. Josh Donaldson vs. Dylan Cease
https://gfycat.com/freshdensefossa
6/30/2021 — MIN @ CWS
409ft, 109.0 mph, 38° LA
Josh Donaldson continued his war against pitchers with this blast against Dylan Cease and the White Sox on Wednesday. A no-doubter off the bat, Donaldson dropped the stick like a hot skillet and watched the ball as it landed halfway up the left field bleachers. He took his first few steps backwards down the first base line, all the while licking his lips for an uncomfortably long period of time.
Style: 9
Speed: 1.24 seconds
Tongue: -10
3. Fernando Tatis Jr. vs. Corbin Martin
https://gfycat.com/seriousimaginaryhart
6/25/2021 — ARI @ SD
400ft, 111.9 mph, 34° LA
After a notable absence in last week’s roundup, Fernando Tatis Jr. came back with a vengeance with a couple of monster flips in the first three-homer game of his career. The first blow came in the very first inning, moments after Tatis’ teammate Tommy Pham went yard to open the scoring against the D-Backs’ Corbin Martin. Tatis absolutely demolished this 1-1 changeup, which proved to be the hardest-hit ball of the game at a scorching 111.9 miles per hour. He then uncorked a wicked flip before donning the Padres’ “Swagg Chain” for the first time that evening.
Style: 9.5
Rotation: 720°
Flavor Flav: Intensely Jealous
2. Fernando Tatis Jr. vs. Riley Smith
https://gfycat.com/bluebittercrow
6/25/2021 — ARI @ SD
415ft, 109.2 mph, 27° LA
If the first Tatis toss wasn’t enough excitement for you, the phenom followed it up with an even wilder flip following his third home run of the evening (in just the fourth inning!). This one came at the expense of Riley Smith, who came on in an attempt to limit the damage following Corbin Martin’s rough start. Unfortunately for Arizona, it just added fuel to Tatis’ fire which raged on with this flip, higher and further than the first.
Style: 10
Rotation: 900°
Pose: 9
1. Taylor Trammell vs. Liam Hendriks
https://gfycat.com/eminenthighbarbet
6/27/2021 — SEA @ CWS
387ft, 104.8 mph, 37° LA
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Taylor Trammell comes along to flip the bat flipping world on its head. The exciting young outfielder came up in the biggest of moments for the Mariners, in a tied game with two outs in the top of the ninth against one of baseball’s most ruthless closers. Trammell celebrated accordingly, giving us not one, but two bat flips on the same play. He first flips the head of the bat back into his hands, before tossing it overhand towards his teammates in the visitors’ dugout. It was a bit of a gambit and a win-win for the fans, because if he had dropped the bat it would have possibly been one of the funniest clips of the season. However, Trammell pulled it off perfectly, punching his ticket to the end-of-season Bat Flip Thunderdome. The only downside here was the lack of camera angles to capture the celebration in its entirety.
Style: 10
Rotation: 180°, >360°
Innovation: 10
Photo by Dustin Ian D’Andrea/Flickr | Adapted by Doug Carlin (@Bdougals on Twitter)
I mean, how could it be anything else?
I wanted to vote Votto all the way through until the end, but… How could it be anyone but Trammell?