Braves reliever Dan Winkler stepped up for his second career plate appearance and gave fans a rare at-bat to remember. With the intent to bunt, he looked more amused than focused, grinning as he got into the box. On his first attempt, he missed badly but didn’t lose his enthusiasm. After regrouping, he managed to put the bat on a curveball and dropped it in front of the plate. The play wasn’t anything flashy, but he did enough to complete the sacrifice and move the runner.
Winkler looked equal parts nervous and excited during the entire sequence. As soon as the bunt landed fair, he hustled to first and immediately shed his helmet, clearly eager to get back to the dugout and focus on pitching again. His teammates were laughing and cheering, fully enjoying the moment. Even though it was a simple sacrifice, they treated it like a win. Winkler did what he needed to do, and the bench loved every second of it.