Derek Jeter Feels the Sting of Age as Fellow Reporter Doesn’t Hold Back After Heartwarming Moment With Houston Astros Stars

Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, and John Smoltz—every baseball fan is familiar with these names. Each of them contributed unique and memorable moments to MLB history. Captain Clutch, known for his iconic career with the New York Yankees, had a bitter rivalry with fellow shortstop A-Rod. However, both eventually buried the hatchet and became friends. Meanwhile, a board that included former inductee Smoltz inducted Big Papi Ortiz into the 2022 Hall of Fame.

Jeter joined Rodriguez and Ortiz on Fox Sports as an MLB analyst this season. Long-time friend and fellow pitcher Smoltz joined the trio for a recent on-air post-game analysis, and he made an interesting comment on the trio. What could Marmaduke possibly have said that left the legends rolling in the aisles?

Hitting them where it hurts: Smoltz delivers a comedic blow to the baseball greats

During the pregame of ALCS Game 5, Houston Astros shortstop Mauricio Dubón couldn’t hold back his excitement over getting to meet Derek. Just a day before, a similar thing happened when Kevin Burkhardt of Fox Sports urged Alex Bregman to get a snap taken of him and Yankee #2.

During the postgame analysis of Game 5, Smoltz pitched in with his insights for the trio to reflect on. However, he left one of the most hilarious comments lingering behind with his exit. Taking a jab at Jeter and his Astro fans, Smoltz said, “And I wanna say in closing after seeing Dubón interview, I grew up watching the guys on your set too. They’re an inspiration to me as well.” He left the newsroom rolling in a barrage of laughter.

Ortiz did try to make a feeble comeback, saying, “That’s not fair!” However, the trio was preoccupied with wiping their tears away. Any ardent baseball fan will know that this poking at each other’s age has been an old tradition between the players. Remember Jeter’s banter with Mario Rivera?

MLB has seen countless rivals go after each other’s throats only to crack a beer together post-game. Take A-Rod and Ortiz, for instance. ‘Godriguez’ and ‘Big Papi’ had been locking horns at the corner of each room for 15 years in their careers. But they learned to move ahead with time, becoming good friends along the way. Fox had already united the former rivals to make a great team of analysts. If anything, John’s jab will only help solidify it further!

A tale of two photos: The Houston Astros’ fan moments with Captain Clutch

Dubón has always been a hardcore Jeter fan. In a Fox Sports segment, he was seen giggling when Jeter asked, “What made you fall in love with the sport?” during the pregame of ALCS Game 5. What was so funny about the question?

It’s because the reason was Jeter himself. “You’re one of the reasons I love this game. I remember having a poster of you growing up. Every level, I wore No. 2 until I got to the big leagues.” Dubón recalled, beaming with the joy of meeting his dream slugger.

The story isn’t much different with Houston Astros infielder Alex Bregman. Remember when Yankee Stadium retired Jeter’s #2 jersey? Before a Yankees vs. Astros game in that stadium, Bregman changed his own #2 jersey for another one; he didn’t want to dishonor Jeter’s legacy in that stadium. That’s how sportsmanship works: respect and be respected.

ALCS Game 5 ended with the Houston Astros decimating the Rangers with a 5-4 win. During the post-game analysis, the legends reflected back on the Astros team and what it was like during their playoff days. “When you wake up those guys, this is what is gonna happen,” Ortiz hinted at the Astros, and Jeter soon followed with some crucial pointers for the Rangers.

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He said: “If you approach every single game like it’s game 7, nothing changes.” He also had this to say for the victors: “Go check into a hotel; don’t go home. Don’t even tell anyone when you’re coming back.”, hinting at how it is important to take some time off after such a sublime win.

Smoltz’s parting joke serves as a reminder that age is just a number and that even legendary players can find humor in their own reputation amongst players of tomorrow.

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