Guardians 

Noel’s ALCS bat flip one of the best of 2024

2:00 AM UTC

How do you make a big home run even more memorable? With an epic bat flip.

As part of its year-end countdown highlighting the top moments of 2024, MLB Network took a look at the best bat flips we saw this past season. There were plenty to choose from as hitters across the Majors continued to embrace the art of the flip.

Here’s a look at which bat flips made the cut.

1. , Oct. 25 vs. Yankees (World Series Game 1)
Evoking memories of Kirk Gibson in 1988, a hobbled Freeman sent the Dodgers to a Game 1 victory in the 2024 Fall Classic with a walk-off grand slam — the first of its kind in World Series history — off Nestor Cortes. Naturally, the moment called for a classic bat flip, and Freeman obliged. Watching his towering shot sail into the night, the slugger raised his bat in triumph as he strolled up the first-base line before letting it tumble from his grip in a final flourish. With four homers, 12 RBIs and a 1.364 OPS in the series, Freeman ended up earning MVP honors as the Dodgers won it all.

2. , Oct. 17 vs. Yankees (ALCS Game 3)
With Cleveland one out away from falling behind three games to none in the ALCS, the man known as “Big Christmas” delivered the ultimate gift to Guardians fans: a game-tying two-run homer off Yankees closer Luke Weaver. The ball was absolutely demolished and Noel reacted accordingly, casually tossing his bat aside as he completed his swing, his eyes still locked on his majestic blast.

3. , Oct. 5 vs. Padres (NLDS Game 1)
Playing the first playoff game of his MLB career, Ohtani rose to the occasion with a colossal home run off Dylan Cease in the bottom of the second inning. The slugger punctuated the homer by hurling his bat toward the first-base dugout and let out a scream as the ball sailed into the seats at Dodger Stadium.

4. , July 6 vs. Yankees
There aren’t many batters who can say they own Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, but Devers is certainly one of them. Devers savored the moment — much to Cole’s chagrin — after hitting his eighth career homer off the right-hander in this game at Yankee Stadium, taking the time to admire his work before flinging his bat toward Boston’s dugout in celebration.

5. , June 2 vs. Giants
Soto’s tenure with the Yankees only lasted one season, but it was packed with memorable moments. One of those came in June at Oracle Park, where Soto slugged a lead-flipping, two-run homer off the Giants’ Camilo Doval in the top of the ninth inning. For good measure, he unleashed an underhanded flip that sent his bat sailing end-over-end into the air.

6. , July 26 vs. Dodgers
7. , April 20 vs. A’s
8. , Sept. 22 vs. White Sox
9. , Aug. 29 vs. Reds
10. , March 28 vs. Cubs

The fiery Naylor was charged up after hitting a tiebreaking homer off Oakland lefty Alex Wood on April 20, bopping himself on the helmet with his bat before emphatically spiking it to the ground.

11. , Oct. 11 vs. Padres (NLDS Game 5)
12. , April 7 vs. Blue Jays
13. , June 28 vs. Yankees
14. , July 20 vs. Brewers
15. , Oct. 5 vs. Dodgers (NLDS Game 1)

Ohtani’s memorable bat flip wasn’t the only one we saw in this year’s NLDS between the Dodgers and Padres, an emotionally charged, back-and-forth affair that lasted five games. Machado had a big flip after his first-inning home run in Game 1, while Hernández celebrated the second of his two homers in Game 5 by flinging his bat toward the Dodgers dugout.

16. , April 12 vs. Rangers
17. , June 6 vs Cubs
18. , Sept. 6 vs. Reds
19. , Aug. 5 vs Astros
20. , April 29 vs. Braves

Clearly unhappy after the Rangers hit teammate Yordan Alvarez with a pitch for the second time in Houston’s April 12 game against its division rival, Tucker sent his bat flying and stared down reliever Brock Burke following his second homer of the day.

21. , May 21 vs. Angels
22. , May 18 vs. Pirates
23. , Aug. 25 vs. Mets
24. , July 31 vs. Blue Jays
25. , Oct. 29 vs. Dodgers (World Series Game 4)

Merrill showed a flair for the dramatic during his outstanding rookie season, hitting six homers in the eighth inning or later that either tied the game or gave the Padres the lead. The last of those came on Aug. 25 against the Mets, when Merrill broke a 2-2 tie with a walk-off homer against Edwin Díaz in the bottom of the ninth. Merrill was understandably fired up after the clutch blast and celebrated with a memorable bat spike as he hopped up the first-base line.

26. , Oct. 18 vs. Mets (NLCS Game 5)
27. , July 8 vs. Rockies
28. , Sept. 14 vs. Rangers
29. , April 7 vs. White Sox
30. , Sept. 15 vs. Rangers

After belting a go-ahead, two-run homer off Chicago’s Deivi García on April 7 — his third dinger of the series — the Royals’ Melendez nearly carried his bat all the way to first base before flipping it into the air.

31. , Aug. 12 vs. Royals
32. , April 5 vs. Mariners
33. , April 23 vs. Brewers
34. , May 30 vs. Athletics
35. José Ramírez, July 30 vs. Tigers

It’s not often that you see someone break out a bat flip to celebrate a walk, but Contreras did just that after walking off the Mariners with a bases-loaded free pass against Seattle closer Andrés Muñoz in the ninth inning on April 5.

36. , April 25 vs. Rockies
37. , April 7 vs. Angels
38. , Aug. 16 vs. Reds
39. , July 29 vs. Cubs
40. , Aug. 27 vs. Giants

Adames and Logan Webb are now teammates after the Giants signed the shortstop to a seven-year, $182 million contract in free agency. But back in August, Webb and the Giants were on the opposite side of one of Adames’ home runs, a go-ahead shot that he capped with a stylish bat flip.