Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s Hilarious Reason for Turning Down Interview

The former Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball star had a great reason for refusing an interview with a Baltimore Orioles reporter.

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Former Oklahoma State Cowboys slugger Christian Encarnacion-Strand is starting over this season.

At one time he was considered the future of the Cincinnati Reds when he broke in during the 2023 season and batted .270 with 13 home runs and 37 RBI. But after two sub-par years in Cincinnati the Reds designated him for assignment earlier this year. He landed with the Baltimore Orioles.

All season he's bided his time with Triple-A Norfolk until the Orioles called him up last week. It's his first chance to impress his new employer at the Major League level, so every moment counts.

In a limited sample size, he seems to have found something. He’s slashing .375/.375/.750 with two home runs and four RBI. With that kind of positive offense, players don’t turn down interviews. But he did on Wednesday, and it was for a hilarious reason.

Encarnacion-Strand Turns Down Interview for Hilarious Reason

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Wednesday afternoon the Baltimore Orioles faced the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park and Encarnacion-Strand hit a home run. The Orioles still lost the game, but his shot was a bright spot in the contest.

Typically, after the game, the media goes to the clubhouse to talk to players and given that he had a home run, Orioles beat writers wanted to talk to him.

Per Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner on X (formerly Twitter), Encarnacion-Strand turned down his request for an interview. Kostka even said he would make it quick, just two minutes. Again, Encarnacion-Strand said no. There was no malice behind turning down the interview. In fact, the reason was hilarious — he needed a nap.

“He said, dead seriously, that he couldn’t because it was time to take a nap, Kostka posted. “I said, ‘Could we fit this in quickly, only two minutes?’ He said, Sorry, it’s nap time.”

Here’s the kicker — there was a good reason he needed a nap. The Orioles had another game. Wednesday afternoon’s game was a make-up game from a contest that was rained out earlier in the series. The O’s and the Red Sox were playing a doubleheader and he was going to play in the second game, too. It was his only chance to rest.

Kostka posted that he “couldn’t argue with nap time. Best excuse.”

The O’s won the second game of the doubleheader.

Encarnacion-Strand spent just one season at OSU after he played two seasons for Yavapai College in Arizona. He was named the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference player of the year in 2019 and, after a COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he transferred to Oklahoma State.

In 2021 he was named the Big 12 newcomer of the year after he batted .361 with 15 home runs and 66 RBI. That led the Minnesota Twins to sleect him in the fourth round of that year’s MLB Draft.