There would be no subdued reaction to this inaugural home run in his major league career. Especially not one as exhilarating as this, and definitely not one that presents an opening for some playful banter.

“Everyone was just teasing me,” recounted Rangers newcomer Wyatt Langford after Sunday’s 4-3 victory against the Cincinnati Reds. “They all said, ‘Nice job managing to stay upright.’

When did Texas Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford know he had his first career Major League home run?

Well, like several times this year, he thought he had hit the ball out of the park when he connected on a 2-2 pitch from Cincinnati Reds starter Andrew Abbott in the first inning on Sunday.

“After the Rangers’ 4-3 victory, Langford admitted, ‘I thought I got it out. That’s why I hesitated a bit coming out of the box.’

However, like numerous warning track hits earlier this season, this hit fell just shy of clearing the wall.

The right-handed outfielder sent the ball into the gap in right-center field, splitting between Reds center fielder Stuart Fairchild and right fielder Jake Fraley.

Then, unexpectedly, the ball ricocheted off the angled bullpen wall, just below the 374-foot marker, and slipped past Fraley.

As Langford approached second base, he noticed the unusual bounce out of the corner of his eye.

“I glanced over and thought, ‘Wow, that ball took a strange bounce,'” Langford recalled.

So, he kicked it into high gear.

Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning, usually focused on the game from the bench, couldn’t ignore the excitement. Recognizing his fellow Florida alum at bat, Dunning stood up to watch once his teammates erupted in cheers.

“I saw it hit the wall,” Dunning recounted. “I thought, ‘Oh, that’s going to be a double or a triple.'”

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was even more confident.

“After seeing the ball hit the wall,” Bochy declared, “‘That’s going to be an inside-the-parker.'”

Langford rounded second base without a slip this time, unlike a previous game earlier in the homestand. Approaching third, he received a green light from third base coach Tony Beasley.

By the time Fraley retrieved the ball and threw it to Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, Langford had an unobstructed path to home plate. He crossed it with a beaming smile, a mix of elation and relief.

“I felt like I’ve hit a bunch of well-struck balls; it was just a matter of getting that first one,” Langford reflected. “I got it in a peculiar way.”

Langford became the fourth Rangers player to notch an inside-the-park home run for their inaugural Major League home run, joining teammate Josh Smith (July 11, 2022), Craig Gentry (Sept. 23, 2011), and Marc Sagmoen (April 17, 1997).

Interestingly, Smith and Langford happen to be neighboring lockers in the clubhouse.

His historic home run ultimately proved to be the game-winner, giving Texas a 4-0 advantage, and the Rangers didn’t add any more runs.

Langford now has a memorable milestone to cherish. However, shortly after the game, he wasn’t sure if he still had the baseball.

“I guess they took it,” Langford remarked. “I’m not certain. For now, I’ll probably just keep it in my locker.”