Imagining 5 MLB stars as League of Legends champions
Some of baseball's biggest stars may have a few doppelgangers on the Summoner's Rift.
Earlier in December, Riot Games, the creators of worldwide video game phenomenon League of Legends, announced a $300-million deal with BAMTech, a subdivision of MLB Advanced Media, operators of the league's online branch, for the rights to monetize and stream matches of the popular esport.
While a hearty percentage of baseball players may have never even heard of the game - and would likely be permanently stuck in Bronze 4 if they did - some have surprisingly comparable counterparts in the fictional universe.
Here are some of MLB's biggest names reimagined as League of Legends champions:
Andrelton Simmons - Taric
If you want to improve your defense, simply being around Taric or Simmons should do the trick. The champion's "Bastion" ability allows him to passively give a teammate bonus armor just by being around them, much how the big-league shortstop manages to keep the Angels alive at times with his mesmerizing defensive range. Unlike the Gem Knight, however, and much to the dismay of Angels fans, Simmons doesn't carry much offense, and he can't make his team invincible.
Mike Trout - Nasus
Even when you try to play safe around them, Trout and Nasus can - and probably will - hurt you in the long run. One of League's unwritten rules is to never leave a Nasus alone on the map due to an effortless ability to boost his damage output, similar to how trying to pitch outside to the 2016 AL MVP isn't a viable solution either, considering Trout's MLB-best 116 walks. To make life more complicated for pitchers, giving Trout one free base only allows him to quickly swipe another, just as he did 30 times this past season.
Manny Machado - Lee Sin
Just when it looks like a play is impossible to make, Machado, much like a mechanically competent Lee Sin, will dazzle with an infield assist that nobody on either side expected. The Orioles third baseman continuously impresses with jaw-dropping defensive plays at the hot corner, but it's the ability to pull them off without looking that really completes the connection with the blind monk.
Bryce Harper - Draven
Draven isn't afraid to talk highly of himself, but it's being able to back up his words by carrying his team that makes him a virtual parallel to Harper. Despite their capabilities, they both had tough years professionally this past season: Disputed injuries subdued Harper at the plate, while Draven failed to feature even once at the World Championship tournament in October. The most important similar feature they share, however, might be their fantastic hair.
Jose Bautista - Yasuo
One of the most divisive figures in MLB, Bautista is a natural match for the wind swordsman. When they're on their game, both are forces to be reckoned with. When off, though, just like a tilted Yasuo, Bautista has chosen to pin the blame elsewhere, as referenced by his infamous line regarding mysterious outside "circumstances" during the ALCS against the Cleveland Indians.