Funniest moments of the Atlanta Braves 2022 season

In an Atlanta Braves season full of excitement, stress, a pennant race, and heartbreak, the team made sure to leave some moments of comedic relief littered throughout for the fans to enjoy.

Humor is subjective, so whether or not these Atlanta Braves moments tickle your funny bone will be up to interpretation. We may all know which moment was the funniest this season, but what were some other ones that went under the radar? I’ve put together my personal top five funniest moments of the season for your viewing (and judging) pleasure.

#5: Strider’s chamomile tea withdrawals

In the midst of a heated divisional battle with the New York Mets on August 7th, Braves stud rookie Spencer Strider infamously claimed – following a poor start of six hits and four runs in 2.2 innings pitched – that the Mets were “having a lot of luck offensively” via their “weird hits.”

At the time, this was an understandable quote. Strider was having his count worked by the Mets hitters which eventually resulted in a two-run double from Pete Alonso that weakly rebounded off the third-base bag. For many in the Braves camp, it was a microcosm of the division-leading Mets’ season so far.

Eight days later, Strider got his revenge. In five innings against the Mets, Strider conceded only three hits, one run, and struck out four in a 13-1 win for the Braves. In the postgame conference, he was more than happy to have a little fun with his previous quotes.

Strider owned the situation with humility and left the fans with a funny insight into his pitching routine – his love for chamomile tea. In the end, he was proven right about the Mets and the inability of their “put-it-in-play” hitting style to translate into wins in October, and has now been added to the list of Atlanta Braves players immortalized in New York hatred.

#4: Michael Harris drops a record-breaking sac bunt

The stage is set: Game 161, a division pennant on the line, and a team that is about to be the first ever to go a full season without executing a successful sacrifice bunt.

Michael Harris had other ideas.

To the dismay of those wanting the Braves to be etched into the history books, Michael Harris continued his own historic season by dropping a picture-perfect sacrifice bunt and moving two runners over, the first of the entire season.

Adding to the humor of the whole situation, the runners on second and third couldn’t be scored with two outs left, perhaps signaling why the Braves hadn’t been attempting sacrifice bunts in the first place.

#3: Kenley Jansen’s belly joins the Atlanta Braves pennant celebrations

In your lifetime, you’ve almost certainly heard the mantra that “pitchers aren’t athletes.” Kenley Jansen, after nailing down a save against the Miami Marlins on October 4th to secure the NL East title for the Atlanta Braves, took that personally.

As the sole shirtless celebrator in the locker room, Jansen’s body in peak physical condition proved that pitchers are indeed athletes.

From the looks of it, Kenley’s “summer body” was just as prepared for the Braves to overcome a 10.5-game deficit as we were.

#2: Michael Harris shows just “meow” easy interviews are

With how good Atlanta Braves “X-Factor” Michael Harris was across the entire season, it can be easy to forget that he was only a rookie. As such, he was subject to his fair share of rookie hazing, even when he came up big for the team.

This held true when, following a clutch home run to tie the game in the top of the ninth inning against the Marlins on August 14th, Harris unleashed his inner feline to the tune of five mid-interview “meows.”

For what seemed like the first time all season, Money Mike was unable to keep his composure in the big moment.

#1: Travis d’Arnaud sustains a “fatal” injury

The moment Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud laid eyes on a blistering 52-mile-per-hour heater from Dee Strange-Gordon on the night of April 12th, it was over for the rest of the competition. The idea that popped into his mind put him firmly in the driver’s seat to claim the “Funniest Atlanta Braves Moment of 2022” title.

And boy, did he deliver. Turning in one of the most impactful acting performances of the 21st century, d’Arnaud took the pitch on the arm and subsequently hit the deck in “serious pain.”

Honestly, the fact that neither Dee Strange-Gordon, Keibert Ruiz, nor home plate umpire Jim Wolf checked in on d’Arnaud after that traumatic moment is pretty disrespectful. He looked to be seriously shaken up.

On a more serious note, the goofy performance showed that there is always still some fun to be had in the beautiful game of baseball, even in a 14-3 blowout.

When your seasons are built around the daily lives of human beings for six months and 162 games, there are bound to be moments where the players are just, well, human. The five Atlanta Braves moments that occurred on this list are my personal favorite, but I am of course curious to know which ones were your favorite and if you think a certain moment was snubbed.