Joc stole Rizzo's bat, and it paid off big time
Talent borrows, genius steals
Michael Clair
@michaelsclairThe Yankees might be out of the postseason, but Anthony Rizzo is still coming up with big hits -- thanks to Joc Pederson, at least.
On Monday afternoon, Pederson hit a pinch-hit three-run home run to give the Braves a 3-0 victory over the Brewers and an all-important 2-1 lead in the NLDS. It was exactly what the Braves were hoping for when they acquired Pederson from the Cubs in July. But it turns out that the outfielder wasn't the only thing Chicago included in the deal: One of Rizzo's bats came along for the journey, too.
"I stole it from him when we were in Chicago," Pederson said after the game. "It has a lot of hits in it, so thanks Big Horn."
It's certainly worked out nicely for Pederson, who is now 3-for-3 with two home runs and four RBIs in the postseason. But the bat isn't the first noteworthy change to Pederson's kit, as he's become the king of the accessory this October. He's shown off a brand new bleached blond haircut that has him ready for a role in any 1980s post-apocalyptic action flick:
He's also been rocking a pearl necklace on the field that has become the talk of the town in Atlanta.
Given that Pederson can seemingly do no wrong right now, we'd imagine "The Joc Pederson" will soon start to spread around the Major Leagues. That means Rizzo should probably start guarding his bat collection a little tighter, too.