Sliding mitts are becoming a trend in baseball, with players like Bryce Harper opting for a decorative look to honor the beloved Philadelphia Phillies mascot, the Phillie Phanatic. However, if you’re not from Philadelphia or a Phillies fan, the Phanatic may not be the first green character that comes to mind. This was the case for Atlanta Braves announcer Brandon Gaudin during a game on Thursday night.
As the Braves hosted the Phillies, Harper was on second base in the eighth inning when he displayed an enormous green sliding mitt adorned with googly eyes. Initially, Gaudin mistakenly believed Harper was paying tribute to Oscar the Grouch instead of the team’s mascot, leading him to contemplate wrapping up the evening after realizing his error.
They thought Bryce Harper’s sliding mitt was oscar the grouch 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/sCTyAHWevP
— skylar (@skylarrmariie) April 11, 2025
“How about that oven mitt, Oscar the Grouch?” Gaudin quipped. His broadcast partner, C.J. Nitkowski, interjected, suggesting it was likely the Phillie Phanatic, prompting Gaudin to burst into laughter.
“What time is it? I’m going to go ahead and unplug my mic and head home at this point. I saw Oscar the Grouch, that is immediately what I saw,” Gaudin said amidst his laughter on air. At least it could have been worse; he could have confused it with Big Bird, Bert, or Ernie. Given that Oscar the Grouch and the Phillie Phanatic share the same color, it’s not entirely unfathomable. Bryce Harper has had his fair share of grumpy moments over the years, so the mix-up wasn’t completely out of the question. You can always count on some moments of levity in the Atlanta Braves broadcast booth.
