Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Indians is having a sneaky great season, punctuated by five extra-base hits on Sunday, including two home runs, one of which was one of the most bizarre home runs you will ever see.
Jose Ramirez home run bounces off wall twice, then batted over fence by outfielder
In the first inning, Ramirez hit a ball that bounced off the yellow line atop the left field wall. The ball caromed straight up, then hit to the top of the wall again, and bounced back toward Detroit Tigers left fielder Mikie Mahtook, who tried to make a barehanded stab. Only the unthinkable happened, and Mahtook ended up knocking the ball over the fence.
Perhaps the most famous oops home run in recent baseball history was when Jose Canseco had a fly ball bounce directly off his noggin and over the fence in 1993. The play was instantly famous, though almost nobody remembers who actually hit the home run (Carlos Martinez of the Cleveland Indians).
“I’v never had a home run that hit the glove and went over the fence,” Ramirez told reporters after the game.
In the sixth inning on Sunday, Ramirez hit a deep fly ball to right field. Alex Presley had a beat on the ball and put a glove on it, but he couldn’t quite catch the ball, which bounced behind the yellow line this time, and was signaled a home run.
The five extra-base hits for Ramirez — he also doubled three times — added on to his fine 2017 campaign. He has 47 doubles, 22 home runs, and even six triples. With 75 extra-base hits and 26 games remaining, he is on pace for 89 on the season.
The record for extra-base hits by a third baseman is 89, set by Colorado Rockies All-Star a Nolan Arenado in 2015. There have only been 19 MLB seasons by a third baseman with even 80 extra-base hits, so Ramirez — hitting .310/.362/.554 — is poised to join some select company.
Whether he gets help from opposing outfielders or not.
