MLB on Mother’s Day: Best Moments on Mother’s Day Since 2000

Sunday is Mom’s day to shine, and Major League Baseball sure knows that. Once again, numerous players on all 30 teams are wearing or using pink gear in honor of Mother’s Day. Some players are using pink bats, like New York Yankees star Aaron Judge. In fact, Judge hit his 16th home run of the season, using a pink bat to send a pitch off Milwaukee Brewers starter Logan Henderson into the bleachers. That home run put Judge in a tie with Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber for the most in baseball this season, while Bryce Harper also hit a home run with a pink bat on Sunday. As Judge, Harper and others bring some golden memories for moms on this Mother’s Day, let’s take a look at some of the other top Mother’s Day moments in recent MLB history. In a way, Bill Hall’s mom helped power the Brewers to a walk-off win over the New York Mets on Mother’s Day in 2006. Hall hit a walk-off home run in the Brewers’ Mother’s Day win over the Mets that year, using a pink at-bat with his mother’s name (Vergie Hall) engraved in it as she watched from the stands. The bat was later auctioned to help raise money for breast cancer research. Brewers owner Mark Attanasio later obtained the bat and gifted it to Vergie Hall. As for the auction, the bat went for $25,000. The Boston Red Sox needed a miracle and then some to take down the Baltimore Orioles on Mother’s Day in 2007. Facing a 5-0 deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Red Sox rallied and scored six runs to get a walk-off victory. The Orioles committed a few self-inflicted errors to allow the Red Sox to win the game, though. An infield pop-up fell for a hit, while three walks allowed the Red Sox to make a one-run game. It appeared the Orioles had the game sealed when Julio Lugo hit a ground ball to Orioles first baseman Kevin Millar. However, Millar’s toss to Orioles closer Chris Ray went off the pitcher’s glove, allowing the Red Sox to score the game-tying and game-winning runs. Fred Lewis was only a few days into his second MLB stint when he achieved one of the toughest accomplishments in baseball on Mother’s Day in 2007. The then-San Francisco Giants outfielder hit for the cycle in his team’s 15-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. He went 5-for-6 at the plate, with his home run that day doubling as his first MLB home run. Dallas Braden joined an elite class of pitchers on Mother’s Day in 2010. He threw the 19th perfect game in MLB history in the Oakland Athletics’ 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays nearly avoided being on the wrong side of history, though. With two outs in the ninth, Rays outfielder Gabe Kapler chased at Braden’s fastball outside the zone on a 3-1 count, hitting into the final out of the game. Had Kapler looked at the pitch, he likely would’ve walked. Adding to the drama, Braden actually thought it was a 2-2 count when he threw the final pitch, later saying that he would’ve thrown a changeup had he known it was a 3-1 count. Beyond the perfect game, the day had significant meaning for Braden. Braden’s mom passed away years prior from cancer, leading to him sharing an emotional moment with his grandmother. 2012: Joey Votto Hits 3 Homers, Including a Walk-Off Grand Slam Not many people want to spend their Mother’s Day weathering a three-hour rain delay. However, Joey Votto made it worthwhile for Cincinnati Reds fans in 2012. The franchise icon hit three home runs against the Washington Nationals on Mother’s Day in 2012, saving his best for last that day. Facing a 6-5 deficit in the bottom of the ninth, Votto belted a ball to straightaway center for a walk-off grand slam. Feloix Hernandez joined a rare group of pitchers on Mother’s Day in 2015. The Seattle Mariners’ ace struck out six hitters that day in a 4-3 win over the Athletics, logging his 2,000th career strikeout. He became the fourth-youngest pitcher in MLB history to log 2,000 career strikeouts. “This is Mother’s Day, so it’s pretty special for me,” Hernandez told reporters after the game. “My mom’s in Venezuela and I miss her so much. I just want to go out there and keep trying to help the team to win. Just dedicated this game to my mom and my wife.” Jahmai Jones began his MLB career by going on a pretty long homer-less streak, failing to go yard in his first 46 career games. That changed on Mother’s Day in 2024, though. Playing in his 11th game for the New York Yankees, Jones hit his first career home run in a 10-6 win over the Rays on Mother’s Day that year. Jones dedicated the moment to his mom, as she had to raise him and his five siblings alone following his father’s death in 2011.