Mets fan plays infield, robs Bryce Harper home run in new Gatorade ad

A New York Mets fan playing in the infield managed to rob a Bryce Harper home run in a new Gatorade commercial.

Gatorade’s new commercial with Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper is kind of strange, but what else would you expect from a campaign named “Sweat with the Best?”

The premise: two kids sit in a dugout discussing the campaign, in which Gatorade is giving away a trip to Las Vegas to receive hitting tips from Harper. The prizes also include a photograph of Harper and an autographed jersey plus paid travel and accommodations.

One of the youngsters says to his bud, “Hey, you know what it’s gonna be like if I win a chance to play with Bryce Harper?” From there, a dream sequence commences with the following oddities ensuing:

• Said youngster decides he is a shortstop and/or second baseman for the New York Mets, wearing uniform No. 100.

• Said youngster cracks up umpires and some coaches by doing the robot in the outfield.

• Said youngster robs Harper of a home run—from his second-base position, which he at least acknowledges is “not a short run”—by calling off all three outfielders, levitating up a wall and catching the ball not with his glove, but his bare hand.

• A fan threw her phone to Bryce Harper so he took a selfie

[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WlVk3pl_DU]

The spot ends with Harper lining a ball into the dugout, just above the no-longer-dreaming kids’ heads.

“My bad,” he says, “I didn’t think you needed a glove.”

• May All-Stars: Harper, Kipnis, Fielder lead list of month's top players

Sure, a dream’s a dream. But “Mets infielder robs Bryce Harper of a home run” will always be a weird premise.

[h/t The Washington Post]

- Mike Fiammetta