After winning the American League batting title in 2019 (.335 AVG), Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has been an even better hitter in 2020. Anderson — whose career-high in home runs is 20, set in 2018 — cranked two home runs on Saturday night against the Cincinnati Reds, giving him 10 dingers already in just 41 games (to go with a 1.012 OPS). And his first home run of the night came against MLB’s most outspoken player, Trevor Bauer.
Bauer entered the game with an MLB-best 1.71 ERA, and was cruising with four scoreless innings until Nomar Mazara hit a solo blast to start the top of the fifth. Two batters later, Anderson crushed a solo shot himself, giving the White Sox a 2-0 lead.
Pass the spaghetti, hold the chili. pic.twitter.com/OBZQ0IfX33
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 20, 2020
Later, Anderson did an in-game interview on the Fox broadcast, and told the announcers about Bauer, “Make sure ya’ll tell him to put that on his YouTube channel too.”
“Make sure y’all tell him to put that on his YouTube channel” 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Ckn3vwU4P9
— Sox On 35th (@SoxOn35th) September 20, 2020
That’s one heck of a burn. Bauer has a YouTube channel in which he breaks down his starts and shares his thoughts on whatever else.
And in the top of the eighth against Cincinnati reliever Robert Stephenson, Anderson started off a back-to-back-to-back (like the Yankees this week) onslaught of solo dingers.
Back-to-back-to-back home runs have left the home crowd shocked and silent in Cincinnati. pic.twitter.com/TaUko0G10l
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 20, 2020
The five solo home runs accounted for all five runs in this game, in a 5-0 win for Anderson and the AL Central-leading White Sox.