Just when you thought a couple of siblings would have some special connection on the field, the Upton brothers go out and collide tracking a fly ball in the outfield.
New York Mets shortstop Omar Quintanilla flied a ball to left center with two outs in the top of the fifth on Tuesday. B.J. Upton, who plays center for the Atlanta Braves, seemed to be calling for the ball, but younger brother Justin did not yield. The two ended up colliding. Though Justin, who is more muscular, did not seem to bothered by the collision, B.J. stayed on the ground for a bit before getting up and playfully shoving Justin as he exited the field. B.J. did make the catch to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
So, no, just because they are brothers does not mean the Uptons have a “special connection” on the field. And what’s even weirder is this happened at home where it was likely quieter.
The Braves signed B.J. as a free agent during the offseason, and they acquired Justin in a trade. Since starting off the season scorching with 12 home runs in April, Justin has cooled off and posted an OPS below .653 since then. B.J. started off terribly, batting below .147 in each of the first two months. He has picked it up since then and has an OPS close to .900 in June. Can you believe the Braves are 13 games over .500 with most of their lineup hitting below .250? Just wait til some of those guys pick it up.
GIF via Erik Malinowski
