Wednesday’s Twins game hit the trifecta for fans.
- They beat the Yankees to win the series.
- Jake Odorizzi almost pitched a no-hitter.
- The highlight of the year came from an unexpected source.
Sure, Odorizzi was awesome and earned a rare chance to tip his cap after coming within five outs of pitching a no-hitter.
But Willians Astudillo’s race from first base to home plate on Max Kepler’s double in the seventh inning resulted in what will undoubtedly live forever as the only thing really worth remembering from this rough and tumble 2018 season.
“I just wanted to show that chubby people also run,” said Astudillo after the game.
Mission accomplished for the lovable 5-foot-9, 225-pound viral sensation.
What’s even crazier is that Astudillo is getting way more attention than Joe Mauer, who told LaVelle Neal of the Star Tribune that he’s considering retiring after the season. It’s unbelievable.
https://twitter.com/RandBallsStu/status/1040063532107227136
Willians Astudillo is a true sports hero: https://t.co/EFAqHjDbxp pic.twitter.com/VC3skll2BQ
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) September 13, 2018
It's a Bird…It's a Plane…It's WILLIANS ASTUDILLO!pic.twitter.com/n6g6Fa9gMz
— Stadium (@Stadium) September 13, 2018
Willians Astudillo rounding third pic.twitter.com/bL7k87Qmxo
— Michael Baumann (@MichaelBaumann) September 13, 2018
Willians Astudillo is quickly becoming my favorite baseball player pic.twitter.com/Z8lmI7waPs
— Sully Engels (@sullyengels) September 13, 2018
It’s extremely difficult to hit a walk-off homer and then days later become a living meme.
Astudillo did both in the past week, all while stealing the thunder from Odorizzi, who took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against a team that has made the Twins its personal punching bag for the last two decades.
Who says the baseball season is too long? As long as gold like this keeps flowing, we’re all in.
