Jose Bautista is at it again. The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder hit a solo home run and responded with a patented, epic bat flip on Wednesday night against the Atlanta Braves.
Benches clear after latest Jose Bautista bat flip
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
This isn’t anything new for Bautista, whose monumental bat flip in the 2015 American League Championship Series was the perfect culmination of a stadium full of pent-up energy ready to explode.
On Wednesday, however, the Blue Jays -- just 17-24 after their loss, appearing unlikely to make a third straight ALCS trip — were down 8-3 to the Braves when Bautista — hitting just .208/.330/.376 with six home runs, including his Wednesday shot — homered against Eric O’Flaherty, and the solo shot only pulled Toronto to within 8-4.
That was the final score.
Benches cleared after the home run, but nothing really happened.
O’Flaherty, to his credit, didn’t seem mad after the game, just more tired of Bautista’s act.
“I’m surprised he’s ready to fight again after last year,” O’Flaherty told reporters, laughing, referring to Bautista getting punched by Rougned Odor of the Texas Rangers in 2016, a skirmish that all stemmed from Bautista’s 2015 flip heard round the world. Bautista, to his credit, admitted that the flip after Wednesday’s homer “was definitely not something that was fitting for the moment.”
The Blue Jays and Braves conclude their series on Thursday night in Atlanta. Let’s see if there is any continuation of Wednesday night’s fun.
