Collecting Game-used: A ball that had quite the life in MLB

I bought it because there was one key name attached ... but it turns out there were at least six.

My newest ball in the Collecting Game-used series is one I picked up on the open market thanks to one name I collect being on there, Toronto Blue Jays star Bo Bichette, and it turned out to be a lot more than a run-scoring hit once I checked the authentication code and the video. This baseball turned out to be perhaps the most-complete piece in my game-used stash -- one that was used for a full plate appearance for the preceding batter and then everything for Bichette as well ... but only after a pitching change.

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and the ball in action.

THE BASICS ...
Game-used ball (MLB Authenticated): Toronto Blue Jays at New York Mets -- July 25, 2021
Watch it in action: A full at-bat, a pitching change and then the hit below -- see the first AB via the MLB Film Room. The Bichette action included two strikes you can see here before the simple play seen at multiple angles and replays via the video below.

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The matchup: Debuting Mets SP Rich Hill vs. Blue Jays 2B Marcus Semien and then Mets RP Seth Lugo vs. Blue Jays SS Bo Bichette in sixth inning of a 5-4 New York victory
The results: A six-pitch walk to Semien before Hill's first start with the team ended ... then two strikes to Bichette who then singled to Mets OF Brandon Nimmo to score Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as seen above. (Mets 1B Pete Alonso also handled the relay to the infield.)

What's Buzz-worthy: Normally, I'd embed every single play for a ball here, but with nine pitches in this relatively clean ball's life I initially opted for just the three to Bichette ... but then I saw that final video with its countless replays from multiple angles and, well, that one's so strong I want it to be the only one you see here. (Not only is this ball my most complete gamer, so to speak, that video is as complete as it gets for the Film Room with the hit shown via several angles, not just one static shot and then an outfield view.) Had I checked the video on this one the day it arrived long ago, it would have appeared here the same day it arrived, but part of me thinks a World Series-timed reveal ain't that bad. Lugo ended up getting the victory in Hill's Mets debut, while this ball goes down as hit No. 212 and RBI No. 108 of Bichette's career coming in his 17oth career game. That's a pretty sweet item to add to the ol' collection for less than a flagship hobby box in 2025.

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