New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton hit his 400th career home run Tuesday night, and teammate Gerrit Cole used the moment to forgive him for a hilarious broken promise made long ago.
First, Stanton’s shining moment: The former NL MVP hit a two-run, go-ahead homer in the sixth inning off Detroit Tigers reliever José Cisner0. That made him the fourth-fastest MLB player to reach the 400 home run mark, after Mark McGwire, Babe Ruth and Alex Rodriguez.
That’s a lot of career home runs, including a memorable one Stanton hit off Cole. As the Yankees ace told the anecdote Tuesday, Stanton approached him before a 2013 game with a request. The then-Miami Marlins star was in a slump, and needed help. He asked Cole, then with the Pittsburgh Pirates, for a favor.
“He said, ‘Hey, could you just just give me a fastball down the middle tomorrow. I’m just going to go the other way, I need to find my swing,'” Cole recalled.
Cole was locked in a pitcher’s duel when Stanton came up for the third time in that game.
“Not being one to go back on my word, or shy away from a challenge, I gave him a fastball right down the middle,” Cole said. “But he totally reneged and clobbered it off the fish that was still out there in left-center to tie the game, and I lost the win.”
Stanton paid Cole back Tuesday night, as his go-ahead home run helped Cole score his 13th win of the season.
“He just totally redeemed himself tonight getting me that win,” Cole said.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.