Taylor Walls homers from each side of the plate to make Tampa Bay Rays history

Updated Aug. 12, 2026 12:48 a.m. ET

Associated Press

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Taylor Walls homered from each side of the plate in a 12-4 victory at the Athletics on Tuesday night, becoming the first switch-hitter to do that twice for the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays.

Walls also accomplished the feat on April 18, 2023, at Cincinnati.

The 30-year-old shortstop hit his first homer Tuesday left-handed in the fourth inning off Athletics starter Mason Barnett. Walls went deep as a right-handed hitter off reliever Brady Basso in the sixth, helping Tampa Bay win its eighth straight game.

Walls is the fifth player this season to homer from both sides of the plate, joining the Chicago White Sox’s Drew Romo, Colorado’s Willi Castro, Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds, and Minnesota’s Josh Bell.

Hitting his first long ball of the season, Walls ended his personal home run drought at 105 regular-season games, dating to July 27, 2025.

Walls only has 24 home runs in 581 games in the majors, counting the playoffs.

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