The Cincinnati Reds not only completed a three-game sweep of the struggling New York Yankees in the Bronx on Thursday but also won a memorable pre-game contest.
Manager David Bell’s team engaged in a unique ‘anthem standoff’ that captivated fans and added a lighthearted twist to the day’s events.
Ahead of Thursday’s matinee, Reds pitchers Graham Ashcraft and Carson Spiers faced off against the Yankees’ Ian Hamilton and Cody Poteet in what has become known as an ‘anthem standoff.’ This unofficial game of chicken tests which players can linger on the field the longest after the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner. These standoffs, while entertaining, have led to consequences in the past. In 2023, a similar standoff between Boston’s Kutter Crawford and Philadelphia’s Matt Strahm resulted in both players being ejected and fined by the league.
Thursday’s standoff, however, did not end in such dramatic fashion. Lasting a full five minutes, it concluded without any ejections or fines.
The standoff ended when Yankees manager Aaron Boone, a former Reds third baseman, signaled for his players to return to the dugout as starting pitcher Marcus Stroman prepared to throw the game’s first pitch.
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Reds slugger Spencer Steer credited this standoff with setting the tone for Cincinnati’s subsequent 8-4 victory. “That also set the tone,” said Steer, whose three-run homer in the fifth inning gave Cincinnati a commanding 5-0 lead. Steer praised Ashcraft, calling him by his given first name, Douglas. “That was pretty awesome of Doug just to kind of win that one for us and kind of give us a little edge before the first pitch,” Steer added.
During the standoff, all four players ignored home plate umpire Alan Porter, who made a shooing motion with both hands. Porter then dispatched third base umpire Jim Wolf to urge the players off the field. Despite these efforts, the players remained steadfast.
Rookie Carson Spiers recounted the experience humorously, mentioning how he ended up without a hat. “Lucas Sims didn’t have a hat out there, so he took my hat, didn’t want to be standing there without a hat on the Fourth of July,” Spiers explained. “So me being a rookie, I was standing there without a hat, whatever, looking dumb. And then, as the thing was ending, Sims was like: ‘Spiers, you got to stay here until the last one.’ So I was like, all right, whatever. I’ll stay. Sure enough, their guys stayed, too.”
As the standoff continued, Spiers realized the potential financial consequences.
With Porter briefly leaving to retrieve a shin guard, Spiers made a practical decision to step off the field first. “Thinking about the fine and knowing that I couldn’t afford it,” he said. “So I just made a business decision.”
The Reds’ victory on the field and the playful spirit of the anthem standoff provided a memorable day for both players and fans. This mix of competitiveness and camaraderie highlighted the unique charm of baseball, where even the pre-game rituals can become a spectacle.