The Cleveland Guardians were down 0-2 in the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees, losing by two runs and about to drop Game 3 and fall into a 0-3 hole.
Yankees closer Luke Weaver got two outs before allowing a double to Lane Thomas that extended the inning.
That’s when Jhonkensy Noel was called into action to pinch-hit for Daniel Schneemann.
Noel proceeded to deposit a Weaver changeup deep into left field for a game-tying, electrifying home run.
David Fry won the game for Cleveland an inning later, but Noel’s blast gave them life.
It gave them a reason to dream.
Noel’s bat flip was ice-cold, and will be remembered for a long time.
In fact, according to MLB Network, it ranks second among the top bat flips of the year.
“BIG CHRISTMAS HAS TIED IT! THE ULTIMATE PRESENT UNDER THE TREE!” @CleGuardians slugger Jhonkensy Noel’s majestic game-tying blast in the ALCS comes in at #2 on our Top Bat Flips countdown,” they posted on X.
"BIG CHRISTMAS HAS TIED IT! THE ULTIMATE PRESENT UNDER THE TREE!"@CleGuardians slugger Jhonkensy Noel's majestic game-tying blast in the ALCS comes in at #2 on our Top Bat Flips countdown.
📺 MLB Network + @SportClips pic.twitter.com/yJ6kZUN0Ts
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 28, 2024
As you can imagine, Progressive Field entered a state of collective frenzy the second Noel’s bat made contact with the ball.
The Guardians went on to lose the next two games and the series, but that Game 3 will be forever remembered as Noel’s bat flip game.
As baseball fans, we have to imagine the only bat flip that topped Noel’s has to be Freddie Freeman walk-off homer in Game 1 of the World Series.
It’s the only one that deserves that number one spot.
Noel has a chance to win a starting gig at right field next year and remains exciting and full of potential.
He already has a treasured postseason memory, and it came as a rookie.
NEXT: Guardians Projected 2025 Lineup Is Full Of Above-Average Hitters
