Two. Days. Left.
It is October baseball, and the playoffs are just around the corner. For fans of most teams, it’s a relatively simple end to the season. Six out of 10 playoff spots are set. But if you are fighting for the AL Wild Card or NL West, you can’t give your heart a rest just yet.
What a great year it has been for baseball… but it’s not over! Here are the best moments from the final Friday of the regular season.
The Mets Booth Roasts Everyone
It’s been a bittersweet year for Mets fans. Up through the beginning of August, they had well-founded playoff hopes as they sat on top of the NL East. Unfortunately, the good times did not keep rolling. At least Mets fans still have perhaps the best broadcast team in the majors!
Few booths can entertainingly ramble like Gary, Keith and Ron. This final series against the Braves is a perfect example of that. They touch on everything from Hansel Robles‘ infamous tenure with the Mets to the narcissism of the Braves’ mascot, Blooper.
Don’t know what I’m talking about? Robles posted a career high in HR/9 (3.2) with the Mets in 2018, and he liked to point at the homers as they traveled deep into the seats. Here is a video montage of that.
The final player GKR teased in 2021: Hansel Robles, of course. pic.twitter.com/YjHiicfy2L
— Meditations in Panic City (@MedInPanicCity) October 2, 2021
As for Blooper? Well, it’s no secret that the Mets and Atlanta have bad blood dating back decades. And Blooper will unleash his mascot-caliber fury upon any Met fan that stands in his way, no matter their age.
Some reviews of Blooper, the Braves mascot:
"He's supposed to be a really ugly mascot" – Gary
"Another narcissist" – Ron (on Blooper's Twitter boasting that the Braves have won the division every year of his existence) pic.twitter.com/KFYKDJENNk
— SNY (@SNYtv) October 2, 2021
Don’t forget, the Mets do have something that Atlanta doesn’t: Mr. Met is a member of the Mascot Hall of Fame. Blooper isn’t.
Checkmate, Atlanta.
MTV Cribs: Turtle Edition
The streakiest team of 2021 is on one final run in an effort to claw their way into the postseason. Who do the Yankees have to thank for it?
No, not Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton. Here are the first official photos released of the Yankees’ unofficial motivator, Bronxie.
The Turtle your timeline has been waiting for…
Here's Bronxie 🐢 pic.twitter.com/8bp7C8ZHsv
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 1, 2021
Look at that swagger. Bronxie is bringing style back to the Bronx. And ever since the Bombers adopted Bronxie, they’ve been 8 – 2.
we NEED that exclusive tour of Bronxie's house pic.twitter.com/EX5JfV821q
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 1, 2021
Is turtle power truly unstoppable? Probably, we’ve seen the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in hand-to-hand combat.
Side note: my favorite thing about Bronxie? Apparently, DJ LeMahieu loves to stare at Bronxie. That just seems so appropriate.
A Very Wholesome Part Two
One of the scariest scenes of 2021 transpired when Kevin Pillar suffered a HBP directly to his face on a pitch from Jacob Webb. As Pillar fell to the ground, Webb immediately looked devastated about what he had done.
On Friday, these two faced off again for the first time since that moment. And before Pillar took his first swing, the two players took a moment to acknowledge each other and show there were no hard feelings.
Jacob Webb and Kevin Pillar faced each other for the first time tonight since Webb hit Pillar in the face earlier in the season.
They both tipped their caps to each other before Pillar's at-bat tonight. pic.twitter.com/F3BnAbTByt
— SNY (@SNYtv) October 2, 2021
Baseball is beautiful for the little moments like this.
Pujols Embraces a New Role
The 2021 Dodgers haven’t been afraid to make moves and improve upon their championship-caliber roster.
Need pitching? No problem, just go and grab a NL Cy Young contender. How about a middle-infielder? Sure, here’s one of the most well-rounded position players in the game. What about hugs? Every team needs a lot of those.
Look no further than Albert Pujols, whose hugging ability earns a grade of 75.
Matt Beaty gets a hug from the DH (designated hugger), Albert Pujols. #Dodgers
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) October 2, 2021
Thank god Pujols embraced that role. If Max Scherzer was in charge of dolling out hugs, then the Dodgers would be spending a lot more time on the IL.
Even Max Scherzer's hugs are intense 😤 pic.twitter.com/AXDf0Tnl9R
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) April 17, 2021
The South Side Strut
Meanwhile in Chicago, it’s been smooth sailing for the White Sox. They sit very comfortably atop the AL Central and they already know they are facing the Astros in the ALDS. Here’s a shocker: this is the first time they have ever made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
Surprising, right? All that’s left for them to do now is strut their way into the postseason.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) October 2, 2021
Keep On Believing, Seattle
If you’re not watching this final series in Seattle, you’re missing out.
The AL Wild Card race is as crazy as it has ever been. The energy is insane in the Kingdome—Safeco Field—T-Mobile Park as the Mariners fight for their first playoff berth in 20 years. Yesterday, they had their highest attendance since Opening Day 2019.
Every pitch could make or break the Mariners’ season. The fans know it. And the players do, too. Just look at how Paul Sewald reacts after a huge strikeout to end the eighth.
Seems like Paul Sewald is fired up pic.twitter.com/B0xfhGuXGD
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 2, 2021
Pure adrenaline.
Photo by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)