Amid growing speculation, the St. Louis Cardinals have firmly denied that their players’ home run celebrations were meant as tributes to former President Trump. During Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, Alec Burleson and Lars Nootbaar made gestures while rounding the bases that some interpreted as mimicking Trump’s reaction when he was led off a rally stage in July. However, the Cardinals clarified that these actions were not politically driven but rather playful nods to Burleson’s “DJ/rapper” nickname, “Biscuits,” from his college days. The team emphasized that the gestures were simply part of a lighthearted celebration among teammates and had no political intent.
Similarly, in another game on Sunday, Tampa Bay Rays’ Taylor Walls celebrated a double with a raised arm, which also led to online speculation about a possible political reference. Walls later clarified that his actions were motivated by a general admiration for resilience, not by any political event, and mentioned that he doesn’t plan to repeat the gesture. Both teams have stressed that their players’ celebrations were not intended as political statements.