New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays Turn Weekend Series Into Home Run Trot Duel

Over the course of about 11 hours, the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays combined for 16 homers during a four-game series that featured three one-sided affairs.

The abundance of homers meant there were home run trots of varying degrees, notably from Randy Arozarena, Jose Siri and Juan Soto. There were also various but similar takes on the topic with mostly a theme of shrug it off or giving credit to the hitter.

While it is a different time and a more accepting version of the game, there still are some wondering about any retaliation such as a brushback pitch or something even more. There were none for things like Arozarena’s three homers or Siri’s and Soto’s two homers.

Even without the retaliatory aspect, there were moments of subtle taking exception.

For example, when Aaron Judge hit his 35th homer in the seventh inning on Sunday after Arozarena took 33.4 seconds and Siri had a 32.6 stroll, the major league home run leader took 31.4 seconds. Judge normally averages 24.3 seconds but during the course of running the bases, he looked out to center field and shot a look at Siri as if to say “I’m not down with that”.

Siri homered again Monday and it was in a 9-1 win by the Yankees. The homer was Tampa Bay’s only run after the Yankees scored the first four and his trot was “slower”, clocking in at 30 seconds but when he crossed home plate, he heard loud booing, which is notable since Siri’s average is at .202.

“That was normal,” Siri said through a translator. “I was just trying to have fun with my teammates in the dugout, and that's just what happened.”

Siri did his normal routine of slowing down at third base and when he reached the plate, Judge was seen giving him another disapproving glance while YES Network play-by-play broadcaster Michael Kay said the following:

“You’re losing! Celebrate when you’re winning. “They’re acting like it’s Mardi Gras in that dugout. You’re losing the game!”

The reaction from Carlos Rodon was the complete opposite, likely because it the was first of two hits he allowed in seven innings after posting a 9.37 ERA in his previous six outings.

It was hardly Mardi Gras for the Rays, who hit four homers in consecutive games for the sixth time in team history before hitting the .500 mark for the 23rd time this season.

Recent events also were hardly causes for a celebration since the Yankees, who are 10-20 in their last 30 games and allowed 51 homers in their previous 29 before Siri’s slower trot.

Their celebratory expression moment occurred when Soto got a hold of a pitch in the seventh and reached the third deck, which in the current Yankee Stadium is not the upper deck but a suite level nestled under the highest level of the ballpark.

Soto wound with the longest home run trot in baseball to date when he looked the ball, craned his neck to see whether it would it fair as opposed to Carlton Fisk’s famous starting his trot in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series by frantically waving the ball to stay fair.

Soto did not break stride when asked about the lengthy trot, giving two possible explanations.

“I was just trying to make sure it was a fair ball,” he said. “I was literally pulling with everything that I have to stay fair. So definitely, it was fun to see it and definitely got the homer.”

“You know, hot weather. Tough day. Tried to save the hammies and make sure I go nice and easy.”

Soto’s words occurred after Siri shrugged it off.

“That's just what they do. You can't control that,” Siri said. “For me, it's more of a personal thing. But for them, I don't control that.”

As for his second homer, Soto went faster at 24.2 seconds, but not quite fast enough to avoid an NBA shot clock violation.

“It's a new world. I look away sometimes. That's part of it,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday morning. “Guys are going to do what they do. It's on us, each individual, to handle themselves how you want. If somebody doesn't like it, it's on us to keep them in the ballpark.”