Gary Sanchez’s premature bat flip is so embarrassing

The Minnesota Twins nearly hit a walk-off home run. Unfortunately for Gary Sanchez, who seems to like bat flips, that home run didn’t actually happen.

If you’re going to hit a home run, hitting a home run first is probably a pretty good idea. Unfortunately, the Minnesota Twins’ Gary Sanchez found out the hard way on Friday in the ninth inning.

With a man up front and the Twins trailing 2-1 at the bottom of the ninth inning, Sanchez stepped up to the plate, seemingly intent on winning the game. With two outs, Sanchez was able to make contact and send the ball for a drive.

And for a brief moment, it looked like that might have been a walk-off home run. A perfect thing to celebrate! Bat flipping would have been encouraged in this situation. Starting the season with a two-run home run would have been great for Sanchez and the Twins, and it’s absolutely something to enthusiastically have fun with.

Well, uh, that didn’t happen.

Not a little.

Minnesota Twins: Gary Sanchez rolls over in a very unfortunate flyout

So close! So close to being a fun thing to talk about. And yet Sanchez didn’t quite hit that home run. He was definitely a few yards away.

Jesse Winker had to trot onto the warning lane, but he just sat in perfect position and was able to finish the game, much to the obvious annoyance and possible embarrassment of Sanchez, who threw his racquet in a celebration that definitely should never have happened.

The Seattle Mariners pulled off a nice, respectable 2-1 win over the Twins. Maybe Sanchez and the Twins will find a way to celebrate in their second game against the Mariners on Saturday?