Home run balls are memorable keepsakes from baseball games for fans and players alike. This was especially true for Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Esmerlyn Valdez, who hit his first career home run on Sunday at the Rogers Centre against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 22-year-old rookie naturally wanted the ball as a career memento, but he had to contend with a young fan in the stands who caught it and also wanted it as a souvenir.
First Career Homer
Fresh from his stint with the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, Valdez made his third Major League Baseball appearance for the Pirates on Sunday at Rogers Centre against the hometown Blue Jays. Heading into the sixth inning, Valdez had gone zero for seven when a powerful swing off a pitch from Jays reliever Chase Lee sent the ball 105 metres into the opposite field, resulting in a two-run home run down the right field line. The homer gave Pittsburgh a 4-1 lead, a score the Pirates maintained until the end to emerge victorious over the Jays, preventing a series sweep after Toronto beat them on Friday and Saturday.
While Valdez celebrated the home run with a smile and a traditional rookie silent treatment from his teammates, the Pirates wanted to retrieve the ball for him. However, they had to negotiate with a young fan who caught the ball in the crowd.
‘I Think I’m Going to Keep It’
Led by pitcher Justin Lawrence, the Pirates met with the boy who caught the ball, negotiating in hopes of a fair trade. “Once we found it, the kid came running up, and in my head I was kind of like, ‘Thank goodness it’s a kid, this should be very easy,’” Lawrence told MLB.com. “(But) right away he goes, ‘I think I’m going to keep it.’”
On the spot, Lawrence and his colleagues bargained with the fan. Negotiations ended after both sides agreed on a two-for-one exchange. So what did the boy get? An autographed bat and Pirates hat from Valdez in exchange for the home run ball. Based on the smile on the boy’s face, it is safe to assume he was happy with the deal.
Lawrence said it was a special moment for Valdez, so it was crucial to get that ball back. “I don’t know how often a guy gets his first home run ball back, so just having an opportunity to be able to get it for him was awesome,” he said.
