The 2026 World Baseball Classic has been great viewing for my baseball-deprived soul. I really struggle to pay attention to or care about Spring Training games, unless there is a pitcher’s velocity drop to freak out about. Mix that same baseball with a dose of patriotism and nationalism, however, and I’m all the way back in.
The teams and players don’t look like they are in midseason form yet, but the creativity around home run celebrations is in peak form. I love the Great Britain celebration, honoring
the Buckingham Palace Guard:
Italy also brought back a great home run celebration from 2023; players take a shot of espresso when they return to the dugout:
Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino shoulders a large responsibility in this celebration; he uses the Nespresso machine to make the espresso shot and gives Milwaukee Brewers prospect Andrew Fischer an il bacetto. Royals fans saw the il bacetto last season between Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone, who are both playing for Team Italy.
Both of these home run celebrations made me wish that the Royals had a more thematic home run celebration. The Gladiator Mask has been around since 2023, and it’s fine. I look at the Seattle Mariners and their home run trident, however, and think that there is room for improvement.
What I like about the Buckingham Palace, espresso, and trident celebrations is that they are thematically linked to their respective teams and the places those teams represent. I think there’s enough material around the Royals and Kansas City that we can find something that feels more appropriate to this specific team. In no particular order, these are the best home run celebrations I could come up with:
- If you want to use headgear, the Royals should at least use a crown instead of a gladiator mask. I think a giant crown would work best; the more obnoxious the crown, the better.
- Upon returning to the dugout after a mighty blast, the hitter needs to eat a barbecue rib. Joe’s KC is already at Kauffman Stadium, so I assume a partnership can be worked out. The rib needs to be dripping in sauce, to the point that some of the players have barbecue sauce stains on their jersey for the rest of the game.
- In honor of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, hitters come back to the dugout, grab a badminton racket, and smash a shuttlecock. Like the crown celebration, the larger the shuttlecock, the better.
- All the people in the dugout line up on opposite sides of the dugout; some against the railing and some against the bench. The returning home-run hitter then drag races down the middle of the dugout like it’s Southwest Boulevard. The prop could be a remote control car or a child’s push-around car that they direct down the middle.
- The team can channel their inner Charlie Parker and blast some notes from a saxophone after they blast a dong. Bonus points if any of the hitters can actually play a tune.
I was trying to incorporate fountains into one of the celebrations, but I think the Salvy Splash has the team covered there. These are the best five ideas that I could come up with, but I trust in the wisdom of the crowds here and assume the commenters will come up with something better. What do you think would be a great Royals home run celebration? Let us know in the comments!
