If you’re sitting at home wondering if you might be a better hitter than a Major League Baseball player hitting from the opposite side of the plate, stop wondering. Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon provided a definitive answer to that question on Tuesday.
With the Angels holding a big lead, the Tampa Bay Rays did something they’ve done on multiple occasions in lopsided games and sent position player Brett Phillips out to pitch in the eighth inning. Going against a position player must have brought out Rendon’s adventurous side. Rendon — normally a right-handed hitter, decided to take the at-bat left-handed.
He went yard.
Switch hitter? Anthony Renbomb💣@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/pzYvzi9SVu
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) May 11, 2022
This was not a cheap home run, either. ESPN’s game recap listed it at 411 feet. Also, Angel Stadium of Anaheim isn’t known as a particularly live yard.
What stood out about this home run is that Rendon — a right-handed hitter — hit it while batting left-handed. Yes, the Angels have made the right field well a little more home run friendly by moving the yellow line down. But while the entire wall no longer has to be cleared for a home run to count, Rendon did it anyway.
MLB fans liked what they saw.
💣💣💣 This is the content I needed today!! https://t.co/CciZoQwol5
— Dominick Lorenz ⚾✌ (@sportsmouth95) May 11, 2022
Anthony Rendon bats lefthanded vs. Brett Phillips and goes yard. First career AB lefthanded. This game is wacky!
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 11, 2022
Anthony Rendon hitting a home run left-handed against a position player pitcher. Can’t predict ball.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) May 11, 2022
I don’t know how long it will take me to get over that Rendon homer. That is so impressive lol
— Sean O’Leary (@seanmoleary) May 11, 2022
Omg!! Rendon goes deep hitting LH!! #Angels
— Eduardo Perez (@PerezEd) May 11, 2022
Anthony Rendon decided to bat left-handed for the first time in his life (?) and went yard against Brett Phillips. This game is drunk.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) May 11, 2022
As a rule, 12-0 MLB games played in the middle of May aren’t especially memorable. But this game is going to break that rule.
Making just the 11th start of his big league career, Los Angeles pitcher Reid Detmers threw a no-hitter. That, combined with an established right-handed hitter deciding to take an at-bat left-handed and hitting a home run in said at-bat means that we won’t be forgetting this game any time soon.
