Kyle Tucker Switches Cleats Mid Game After 0-3 Start, And Immediately Hits Two HRs

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker was having a bad day at the plate Sunday.

Like, a really bad day.

In his first three at-bats against the Milwaukee Brewers, he recorded three outs. That alone is bad in and of itself, but it was worse for Tucker because he struck out every time. 

Not only that, but he watched strike three go by him with his bat on his shoulder (my biggest baseball pet peeve) twice, and couldn’t get a runner from third home in the second inning as a result.

Tucker (swinging the bat) watches the first of his two home runs clear the fences on Sunday afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

But Tucker didn’t just write off his day at Minute Maid Park because of a few shaky at-bats, he found a way to end his hitting woes. However, it didn’t come in the way you’d expect.

While you might think he watched a lot of film on the pitchers or got some expert advice from hitting coach Troy Snitker, he chose an unorthodox method to get himself out of a funk.

He switched his footwear.

Tucker had struck out three times wearing green cleats, which were an homage to the team’s mascot, Orbit. After switching to a pair of his normal orange cleats before his at-bat in the sixth inning, he sent two separate pitches into orbit (pun intended) in his remaining plate appearances of the day. 

It was all part of a 9-4 win for the Astros.

Tucker said after the game the move was completely intentional, and that the green cleats were clearly (?) having an effect on his performance.

"I just didn’t really have great first three at-bats with them," Tucker said. "I just decided to come in and swap them back out for my other cleats and it ended up pretty well for me."

You could say that again. Thanks to the shoe swap, he now sits in a tie with the Baltimore Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson for the most homeruns in MLB, with 15. 

I’m sure Orbit won’t harbor any hard feelings towards Tucker for changing out of his mascot-themed cleats, especially if he keeps producing at this level with the orange ones.