Royals' Waters won $100 bet with Greinke by hitting 1st big-league HR
Drew Waters' first major-league home run ended up being worth more than just some good memories.
Waters, a top Kansas City Royals prospect who recently joined the big club for the first time, ripped his first homer as a major leaguer on Monday. The 400-foot blast not only tied the game (the Royals eventually lost 6-5), but it also earned him $100 from teammate Zack Greinke.
Drew’s 1st MLB homer ties it up!#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/qSmu34UUf6
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 6, 2022
Following the contest, Waters revealed that his quirky veteran teammate previously bet him $100 that he wouldn't hit a homer this season. That bet was on his mind as he rounded the bases.
"I was like, 'All right, I hope he's not putting the bad juju on me,'" Waters told Anne Rogers of MLB.com. "But as soon as I went deep, that was the one guy I was looking for in the dugout.
"He actually wasn't in the dugout, but as soon as he came back in, I was sure to go up to him and tell him he owed me 100. ... He was like, 'That's awesome, nice swing. I owe you.' ... I'm sure I'll get a small piece of his fortune."
Greinke paid up on Tuesday, according to Rogers.
The Royals acquired Waters, their No. 8 prospect per MLB.com, in a trade with the Atlanta Braves on July 11 and brought him to the majors on Aug. 22. The 23-year-old has hit .237/.326/.395 with five RBIs and four multi-hit games in 13 big-league contests.