Phillies fans were glued to the TV on Monday night as third baseman Alec Bohm closed in on the semifinals of Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby.
Taking to the plate in Arlington, Texas, the Phillie slugged 21 homers in the first round, before moving on to face Dodger outfielder Teoscar Hernández.
He may have had some help, however, from a quick sip of “wooder”
Home Run Derby ‘wooder’ jug
All Philadelphians know that it’s “wooder,” not water.
So, who could be surprised when first baseman Bryce Harper showed support for his teammate by bringing out a glass jug labeled “wooder” for a quick sip during Bohm’s first round timeout.
Fans on social media quickly penned their amusement at the very Philadelphian gimmick.
“Who wanna look at me the way Bohm looks at his wooder jug,” one fan wrote with a screengrab of Bohm caught staring lovingly at his drink.
“Alec Bohm: Powered By Wooder” another joked.
“Bohm really brings his emotional support wooder jug with him everywhere. He’s so real for that,” said one user.
Others questioned the power of the wooder after a spike in Bohm’s performance occurred just after a quick water… er, “wooder,” break.
Bohm and Hernández swing-off
Both players hit 14 dingers in the second round of the derby, leading to a swing-off to get to the final.
Abiding to three swings each, Hernández homered on his last two attempts, while it came down to one swing for Bohm.
Slugging the ball on his second swing, Bohm fell short on the third, sending Hernández to the finals where he would beat Bobby Witt Jr. to become the first Dodger to win the Home Run Derby title.
Alec Bohm Home Run Derby Stats
Want to know how Bohm did Monday night?
Here are the stats provided by MLB’s recap.
LONGEST HR: 431 feetHARDEST HR: 103.0 mphAVG. HR DISTANCE: 402 feetAVG. HR EXIT VELO: 98.0 mph
MLB’s Brent Maquire and Theo DeRosa wrote that Bohm’s performance was “one of the most surprising developments” after he entered the derby with only 11 homers, the fewest of the contestants.
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Home Run Derby National Anthem
Viewers all over the country kept an eye on their favorite players during the derby, including their reactions to Ingrid Andress’s rendition of the National Anthem, which garnered viral criticism on social media.
Fans were quick to point out that the Philly favorite couldn’t quite hold it together during the song.
Support for Bohm in Home Run Derby
Philadelphia sports fans, commentators and brands showed their support for Bohm via social media Monday night and pointed out details that some may have missed.
Did you see that Bohm’s bat had the numbers of his teammates?
ESPN kept X, formerly Twitter, lively with posts of Bohm after he became the first of the night to advance to the semifinals.
Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news across South Jersey for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times. If you have a story she should tell, email her at kmccormick@gannett.com. And subscribe to stay up to date on the news you need.
