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Sara’s Snapshots: Javy walks it off vs. Amir Garrett

Let’s take a closer look at the latest chapter in this player feud

Javy only needed one pitch
Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images

Monday night the Cubs walked off the Reds at Wrigley Field. There was already a bit of an edge in the air with the trade deadline looming and the Cubs looking to sell any players they can to retool for their next championship run. Midway though the game news broke that fan favorite Andrew Chafin would be heading to Oakland, but let’s be honest the edge wasn’t because of The Sheriff (although he was pretty cool). The edge is the aura that every at bat taken by Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo or Javier Báez could be their last in a Cubs uniform. It wasn’t exactly a game that was begging for more drama.

It got a lot more drama.

Reds reliever Heath Hembree came into the game to try and keep it a five to five tie in the ninth inning. He was unsuccessful, first walking Patrick Wisdom (who apparently can also play left field?) and then surrendering this long fly ball to David Bote — admit it, we all thought it was out:

It looked so good off the bat
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Just short.

Sigh
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However, Hembree continued to struggle. He walked Ian Happ and then loaded the bases by hitting Nico Hoerner. Reds Manager David Bell had seen enough and decided to go to the bullpen:

Bell makes a move
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And that’s how the 29,215 fans who were in attendance at Monday night’s game found themselves unexpectedly in the highest drama situation possible. Round three of Reds reliever Amir Garrett against one of the most beloved 2016 Cubs and his nemesis: El Mago.

Ross makes a move
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Admit it, you want to see the whole sequence again [VIDEO].

Let’s take a closer look at one of the most dramatic walkoff wins I’ve seen this side of October, or as I like to call it: Javy v. Garrett III: The Walkoff.

You will certainly recall that these two men do not like each other. It began with this benches clearing incident after Garrett chirped a bit too much at Javy after striking him out:

Garrett celebrates in July 2019
MLB

Javy was not amused:

Javy doesn’t like your chirps
MLB

...and the benches promptly cleared:

Javy v. the Reds
MLB

Some people let bygones be bygones, but it doesn’t really appear that Garrett is one of those people. Fast forward to earlier this season when he decided to chirp at Anthony Rizzo a bit too much for Javy’s liking:

Garrett chirps at Rizzo
MLB

We all remember how that wound up:

Javy will defend his people
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There was absolutely no way this at bat was going to end without some kind of fireworks. Javy was letting Garrett hear his mind before the pitch was thrown:

Javy is fired up as he walks to the plate
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So the Reds have a five-man infield, the Cubs have the bases loaded and two men who definitely aren’t sending each other Christmas cards are about to face off:

Five man infield
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Garrett tries to compose himself before the pitch:

Garrett gets ready
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The Cubs dugout loves it, and as an aside I looked exactly like Jake Marisnick in this picture. Except I was on the edge of my couch:

Jake Marisnick and the Cubs dugout know this will be good
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The fans are all also on the edge of their seats — just look at all those phones:

The fans get ready
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Javy hits it:

One pitch
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This is a classic Javy swing and he powers it over the two outfielders to drive in Patrick Wisdom. As an aside, why were these guys so shallow? That seems like a mistake:

Too shallow
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Javy begins a slow walk towards first that you just know is eating up Amir Garrett, but that is only the beginning:

The slow march to first
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There are celebrations and there are celebrations. There are bat flips and there are BAT FLIPS. Javy seemed pretty keenly aware he was in post-bat flip territory and he intended to make the most of it:

Don’t stir the pot
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First, he invents a new move I call the “Stir the Pot” warning.

Double fist pump
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Then he throws the bat away from him and does a double fist pump before deciding his shirt and hat are literally not cool enough for this moment:

Javy is too cool for his shirt
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Wisdom is absolutely lit up as he hits the plate and so are the rest of the Cubs:

The Cubs love it
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Amir Garrett is very offended by Javy’s bat (Reds fans have been claiming it was “thrown at” Garrett. I have not seen an angle that confirms that):

Garrett takes offense
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The umpire attempts to calm Amir down:

There, there, Amir
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As an aside, it will always be amusing that there is only one pitch in the score bug as this is going on. Javy was certainly aware of that:

One pitch
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There is so much joy from so many of my favorite Cubs in this picture:

Joy in Wrigleyville
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Javy knows exactly what he’s just accomplished, and he relishes it, Gladiator style:

Are you not entertained?
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I imagine we could be in for a wild one tonight as the series continues.