When October rolls around in Major League Baseball, any sort of home run will understandably get some attention around the nation. But when the Philadelphia Phillies took on the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series on Saturday afternoon, an inside-the-park home run from Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto stole the show.
In the bottom of the third inning with no outs, Realmuto hit a deep line drive to the high wall in center field of Citizens Bank Park. Initially, it looked like Braves center fielder Michael Harris II would have a chance to make a play on the ball right at the wall, but Harris didn’t quite get there in time. As a result, the ball bounced off the wall and quickly rolled down the warning track away from Harris.
By the time Harris was finally able to pick up the ball, Realmuto had already nearly made it to third base with the team’s third-base coach waving him to go home. Realmuto didn’t hesitate and slid into home easily for a huge inside-the-park home run.
JT REALMUTO INSIDE-THE-PARK HOMER IN THE POSTSEASON! ⚾️🚨🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/aL5kYASDxi
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 15, 2022
The huge play put the Phillies up 4-1 in the bottom of the third inning, and the MLB world had plenty to say about it on Saturday afternoon.
JT Realmuto Inside the park HR
Philly is going BANANAS @BarstoolPhilly pic.twitter.com/uXL1F97nc3
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 15, 2022
INSIDE THE PARK HOME RUN ARE YOU KIDDING JACOB TYLER#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/5z2hgpcnUp
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 15, 2022
INSIDE THE PARK HOME RUN FOR J.T. REALMUTO ARE YOU SERIOUS pic.twitter.com/5TBD6ejtyo
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 15, 2022
Ronald Acuña Jr. snoozing in right field as Realmuto dashes around the bases pic.twitter.com/rpvkm2avUG
— MLB Errors (@mlberrors) October 15, 2022
JT REALMUTO INSIDE-THE-PARKER OH MY GOODNESS pic.twitter.com/SUoKlDcY7u
— Alex Kielar (@AlexTBPK) October 15, 2022
JT Realmuto with an inside the park HR
The late Phillies chairman David Montgomery wanted that wall cut like that in CF so they could have the excitement of a possible inside the park homer pic.twitter.com/t5RUB0Z8kz
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) October 15, 2022
The massive hit extended the Phillies’ early lead. If Philadelphia can hold off the Braves, they’ll win the series and advance to the National League Championship Series.