Baseball is back, and that means dream-making and heartbreaking home runs have returned to us, too. They’re fun to watch if it’s a walk off in your team’s favor or if you have no rooting interest, and they’re soul crushing if you were about to lock up a win before a beautiful dinger ruined it.
Opening Day had some superb home runs, so we ranked them
Baseball is back, and so are the dingers.
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Welcome back to baseball season, where there’s a lot of feelings and just as many home runs. It’s a great time and you’ll hate yourself in 40 games or less. That’s a guarantee.
To celebrate the return of all kinds of home runs, we’re ranking all the best ones from the Opening Day festivities.
This was always going to be No. 1, obviously. The very first pitch of the season? Against a team that definitely could’ve found better pitching in the offseason, which makes this even funnier?
Oh yeah, that’s No. 1. Plus it had the added benefit of making a local reporter jump into Lake Michigan in March because he didn’t think Happ had it in him. Never tweet your bets, folks.
Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees vs. Blue Jays (first)
This was not surprising but entirely satisfying. Even watching him with the Yankees can’t fully take away from the joy of Stanton hitting huge dingers at whim. John Sterling’s call aside, this was fun and made Opening Day feel complete in a “the house always wins” kind of way.
Eduardo Nunez, Red Sox vs. Rays
If you don’t like inside-the-park home runs you’re the cops.
His helmet falling off (shocker) really makes the moment shine.
Adam Jones, Orioles vs. Twins
The Orioles might not have the best outlook for the season, but they had a great Opening Day thanks to Adam Jones. That thing was gone the second it left the bat. It could be all downhill from here in Baltimore, but this was awesome.
This isn’t too different from Jones’ walk-off for Baltimore, but it has the downside of being attached to the Phillies completely blowing it thanks to Gabe Kaplar overthinking things. The unfortunate part is it probably won’t be the first time that happens in Philly but that shouldn’t completely take away from what Markakis did. No one saw it coming either, which always makes walk-offs fun.
Nelson Cruz, Mariners vs. Indians
ALCS Cy Young winner who? Corey Kluber will be just fine ( ... probably), but Nelson Cruz disrupted his Opening Day start with this absolute bomb. That was up there for a while!
Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees vs. Blue Jays (second)
This is last because what a show off. (Joking. Sort of.)
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