Willson Contreras is Tired of Being Hit & the Best Bat Flips of Week 2

Week two of the regular season is in the books! While it didn’t quite have the selection of flips that the first week did, the high points were quite high (literally). We saw grudge matches, phenoms teeing off against phenoms, and some of the best jerseys in baseball under the spotlight. There were bat flips, drops, and at least one impassioned heave that left us speechless.

Here are the best bat flips of week two, in all of their glory.

 

5. Aaron Hicks vs. Rich Hill

 

https://gfycat.com/ultimateachingchrysomelid

4/9/2021 — NYY @ TBR

406ft, 106.1 mph, 25º launch angle

Aaron Hicks was one of the most under-the-radar hitters last year from a celebration perspective, which is probably due to the more understated nature of his bat drops. They’re quick, they’re clean, and they get the point across that Hicks just sent your pitch to the parking lot. Case in point here against D. Mounta—err I mean, Rich Hill. Hicks gets every stitch of this ball, and just lets his bat fall from his hands out of his backswing. That’s cold, ruthless efficiency on full display for all to see.

Style: 7

Rotation: Drop

Nonchalance: 8

 

4. Marcell Ozuna vs. Pablo López

 

https://gfycat.com/belatedshinyamericanalligator

4/13/21 — MIA @ ATL

425ft, 106.7mph, 27º launch angle

The Selfie is back in 2021, after slugger Marcell Ozuna roasted this first inning pitch from Pablo López to open up the scoring against for Atlanta. For those of you that have been following the Best Bat Flip series from last year, you’ll probably recognize the now-signature home run celebration from last year’s Wild Card round against the Reds. While this iteration isn’t quite as energizing as the one from last postseason, it’s still pretty awesome, especially when paired with the ridiculous walk to first base that preceeded it. Here’s hoping that Ozuna’s selfie catches on, and we start to see more signature post-HR celebrations from hitters. That would be sweet.

Style: 8

Rotation: N/A

Strut: 8.5

 

3. Juan Soto vs. Julio Urías

 

https://gfycat.com/oddsnivelinganglerfish

4/10/2021 — WSH @ LAD

407ft, 109.5mph, 24º launch angle

The posterchild for the 2021 Best Bat Flip series finally makes his debut in the second week with his first longball of the new campaign. And boy, was it a doozy. Soto took the Dodgers’ Julio Urías deep and added a nonchalant bat flip that still spun like a washing machine off into the grass. It’s hopefully one of many more to come this year from the Childish Bambino.

Style: 8

Rotation: Offscreen, but a lot. Trust me.

Age: 22

 

2. Ronald Acuña Jr. vs. Sam Coonrod

 

https://gfycat.com/aptmadeupgoa

4/11/2021 — PHI @ ATL

428ft, 108.6mph, 25º launch angle

This just in: Ronald Acuña Jr. is very, very good. The Atlanta centerfielder has been on an absolute tear through the first two weeks of the season, and has already clobbered a league-leading seven home runs (and he’ll probably have hit another by the time you finish reading this article). He continues to live up to his billing as one of the most entertaining at-bats in baseball, and you can see why here. Acuña’s confidence, joy, and sheer power are all showcased in one swing of the bat (and trot), and the whole package is put over the top with those Atlanta throwbacks on. Gorgeous.

Style: 8.5

Rotation: Flat Spin

Rotation (of Acuña): 270º

 

1. Willson Contreras vs. Brent Suter

 

https://gfycat.com/peskyhardtofindamethystsunbird

4/14/2021 — CHC @ MIL

438ft, 110.4mph, 28º launch angle

Wow. I think Willson Contreras might be one of the most underrated bat flippers in the game today. When people think of the most exciting home run hitters in today’s MLB, the names that typically come to mind are somewhat expected: Soto, Acuña Jr., and Tatís, just to name a few. Willson Contreras, however, can hang with the best of them. Of course, there was his monster toss from last year (which I maintain should have won the Thunderdome), and he’s now added this nasty shot to his portfolio. No one does high-flying flips like Contreras, and it’s past time he got his due as one of the best bat flippers in baseball.

Style: 9.5

Rotation: ???

Disrespect: 10

 

That will just about wrap it up for the Best Bat Flips of Week 2! Check back in again next week for some of the wildest celebrations in baseball. Have a great week.

 

Photo by Dustin Ian D’Andrea/Flickr | Adapted by Doug Carlin (@Bdougals on Twitter)