Savannah Bananas games are supposed to be fun for players and fans alike, but one former MLB All-Star hustled a little bit too hard while suiting up for the team.
The Bananas played an exhibition game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Oh. on Friday, and longtime Reds first baseman Sean Casey made an appearance and took an at-bat during the game. The 50-year-old drew a walk, but when ball four got away from the catcher, Casey hustled down to first and even tried to round the base for second.
Unfortunately, Casey’s hamstring gave out on him as he made the turn around first, and he wound up having to hobble back to the dugout for a pinch-runner.
3x All-Star, Sean Casey, makes his debut in the all yellows tonight with Danny Graves in the booth for his at bat😎 pic.twitter.com/CNR5ayybsf
— Savannah Bananas (@TheSavBananas) June 14, 2025
At that point, this was just a funny highlight and nothing to really take note of. That changed Saturday, when Reds play-by-play announced Jim Day revealed during the broadcast of their game against the Detroit Tigers that Casey had completely torn his hamstring while rounding the base.
“He got a massive ovation. And he was at the plate. And he was rounding first base, thinking about going to second. And the crowd was cheering him on,” Day said, via Dave Clark of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Now he grabbed his hamstring. I thought he was just playing to the crowd. You know like, ‘Hey, I’m an older guy and it’s hard for me to run.’ Turns out he completely tore his hamstring. He completely tore the hamstring off the bone. He’s got surgery this week. Took one for the team. … We wish Sean Casey the best. That’s a tough one right there.”
Casey posted on X about the experience Saturday morning, but did not allude to anything more than a tight hamstring at that time.
What a moment to have one more AB in front of the greatest fans in the world last night in Cincinnati!! Thx to @TheSavBananas n @YellowTuxJesse for the opportunity! Banana Ball is so fun, what an experience! I was hoping for one more double in the gap, but I’ll take the walk for… https://t.co/U1w6vgyI9J
— Sean Casey (@TheMayorsOffice) June 14, 2025
Casey was a three-time All-Star during his MLB career and was a lifetime .302 hitter. Since retiring after the 2008 season, he has primary worked as an MLB Network analyst, though he took on a surprise role as New York Yankees hitting coach for part of the 2023 season.
There is some irony in that Casey was never fleet of foot as a player, and there is a famous viral video of him getting thrown out at first from left field in 2007. It seems that running the bases got him here, too, even though it was just an exhibition game.
