DETROIT -- OK, you’re officially allowed to be excited about Akil Baddoo now.
Maybe more than excited. Giddy.
The legend surrounding the Detroit Tigers’ 22-year-old rookie outfielder added another chapter on Monday afternoon at an unlikely moment.
There were two outs in the ninth inning and the Tigers were losing 15-2 when Baddoo launched a grand slam home run into the left field bullpen.
“I’m just loving that all my hard work is finally paying off,” Baddoo said. “So I’m just going to continue that and stay mentally strong and carry it throughout the whole season.”
The slam came one day after Baddoo homered on the first pitch he had ever seen in the big leagues. (Technically the first pitch he had ever seen at any level above Class A).
The debut performance on Sunday earned Baddoo another start on Monday against Minnesota.
The opener did not go well for the Tigers, whose pitchers were drubbed by Nelson Cruz and his fellow boppers with the Twins.
But to demonstrate how well things are going for Baddoo, he actually struck out in his first plate appearance on Monday, but dashed to first base on Twins starter Matt Shoemaker’s wild pitch. He then swiped second (the first stolen base of his career).
He rapped a sharp line-drive single in the fifth.
In the eighth, he grounded out against reliever Randy Dobnak but said he felt he was seeing the ball well.
He proved that hunch correct with the no-doubt home run in the ninth.
Baddoo became the first player in Tigers history to hit a home run in each of his first two career games and the first in MLB history to do so while batting ninth.
His back story makes the accomplishments all the more incredible.
Before this spring, Baddoo last played at Class A (advanced) Fort Myers in 2019, hitting just .214 in 29 games before his season ended due to injury. He underwent Tommy John elbow surgery, something usually associated with a pitcher, but couldn’t compete in any rehab games in 2020 due to the pandemic.
By the time he arrived in Lakeland for spring training in February, he had been off the radar for almost two years.
Monday’s slam came against the organization that drafted and developed him and ultimately left him unprotected last winter when the Tigers selected him in the Rule 5 Draft.
There are no hard feelings; if anything, the Twins may have done him an incredible favor.
He chatted with several former teammates before the game.
“I probably know the entire starting nine,” Baddoo said. “A lot of familiar faces. It was definitely good to see those guys.”
Baddoo’s parents and brothers, in town to see his debut, will hit the road on Tuesday. They saw a good show while here in Detroit. Now it will be up to Baddoo to keep it going.
“It was a lot of hard work and I’ve been through a lot the last two years not playing,” Baddoo said. “All the work is paying off and I’m just so glad to get back on the field and produce.”
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Grand slam is latest chapter in Akil Baddoo’s incredible story - MLive.com
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