If there’s one team that would take issue with a player hitting home runs with a broken bat, it would absolutely be the St. Louis Cardinals.
They proved that on Wednesday.
Reds slugger Nick Castellanos hit two home runs — including a grand slam — in two innings on Wednesday, and he did it with a chip at the end of his bat. Now, there’s absolutely no advantage gained by Castellanos for using a chipped bat. If anything, it takes away some power from his swing.
But after Castellanos hit that grand slam in the second inning, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt asked the umpires to inspect the bat.
Nothing wrong with the bat… that's just Nick Castellanos for you. pic.twitter.com/twmyacblTF
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 1, 2021
Castellanos hand delivered the bats to the umpires because, well, it wasn’t corked and he didn’t have anything to hide.
If you're going to check his bat after a grand slam, Castellanos will hand deliver it to you 😅 @Reds pic.twitter.com/RGYdGUUxOA
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) September 1, 2021
Due to “safety reasons,” the bat was removed for the rest of the game. But you have to love how Castellanos handled the ensuing moments. He gave the bat to a young fan while mocking the Cardinals’ safety concerns, calling it a “dangerous piece of lumber.”
Nick Castellanos referred to his bat as a “dangerous piece of lumber” 😂 pic.twitter.com/APHY5ZT2zx
— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) September 2, 2021
After Nick Castellanos hit two home runs in two innings with a broken bat …. Cardinals Manager Mike Shildt asked the umpires to review the bat and the home run. Castellanos hand delivered the bat to the umpires, the call stood, and then he gave it away to a fan. pic.twitter.com/nNzhQCsMvt
— Baseball Authority (@BsblAuthority) September 1, 2021
He also took a jab for the Cardinals for taking issue with the bat once he drove in six runs with it. He said via MLB.com:
“My view is that was my second homer and I drove in six. All of a sudden, there was an issue. There was no issue when [Jon] Lester absolutely carved me up. And there was no issue in the first game. But then there was an issue.”
Castellanos said that the umpires knew the bat was chipped and were OK with it before the Cardinals took issue. The umpiring crew allowed the home runs to stand, and a young fan left with a souvenir. So, it all worked out for the Reds — even if the Cardinals were being characteristically lame.
