We all know that Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is an incredible, one-of-a-kind player who is bound for the Hall of Fame.
We also know, based on what his efforts on the mound before a Cleeveland Guardians home game back in April, that his pitching skills leave a little bit to be desired.
Kelce threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Cleeveland’s game against the Seattle Mariners and it was closer to a touchdown celebration spike than it was a strike.
The pitch was well, well short, bouncing before it even reached the dirt around home plate.
Travis Kelce's first pitch was a bit short 😂
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 7, 2023
(via @PitchingNinja)pic.twitter.com/OZnLDRBF6a
The Super Bowl champion tight end has sure copped an awful lot of flak for his efforts, with Patrick Mahomes, Juan Thornhill, JJ Watt and many others all poking fun at Kelce’s throw.
But somehow, almost unbelievably, Kelce’s effort is now no longer the worst ceremonial first pitch of the season to be thrown at Cleeveland’s Progressive Field this season.
That title has instead been taken by this throw, which came ahead of the Guardians' game against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.
The tiniest of stumbles at the peak of the windup saw this pitch
This first pitch didn't go as planned. 😅 pic.twitter.com/z4g2fdFHWR
— Cut4 (@Cut4) June 8, 2023
With that unwanted title now bestowed upon someone else, there is more good news for Kelce – he will have a chance at redemption.
The Kansas City Royals announced that Kelce will be throwing the first pitch at Kauffman Stadium on Monday night, giving him a second chance to hit the strike zone.
Travis Kelce. First pitch. Monday night.https://t.co/8EG6arZhwo pic.twitter.com/b8dDCFxSHe
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) June 8, 2023
It is a good thing Kelce is used to playing on some of the biggest stages in world sports, because he will be under an enormous amount of pressure to throw a perfect pitch this time around.
Speaking on the New Heights podcast after his first effort, Kelce said his grip is what let him down.
“I also gripped it as hard as I could and that’s where you go wrong. You gotta hold the baseball like an egg,” he said.
Later on in the show Kelce specifically asked the Royals to give him a second chance, and now he has exactly that.
Normally it be fair to say his second pitch couldn’t possibly be worse than his first throw, but the slip and fall in Cleveland on Thursday night show just how precarious it can be.