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Diamondbacks Celebrate 'Mikal Bridges Appreciation Day' at Chase Field

The Arizona Diamondbacks held a special promotional night Tuesday, celebrating Phoenix Suns' forward Mikal Bridges in the team's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Earlier this summer, Bridges won a bet with the Diamondbacks' social media team, earning him a birthday he will never forget.
Jack Vita|
Diamondbacks Celebrate 'Mikal Bridges Appreciation Day' at Chase Field
Diamondbacks Celebrate 'Mikal Bridges Appreciation Day' at Chase Field

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Arizona DiamondbacksPhoenix Suns

The Arizona Diamondbacks celebrated Phoenix Suns' forward Mikal Bridges Tuesday night, holding the first-ever 'Mikal Bridges Appreciation Night.'

Earlier this summer, when the Villanova product — who averaged 14.2 points per game and 4.2 rebounds per game in 2021-22 — tweeted about his love for the Philadelphia Phillies, he had no idea what he would be getting himself into.

Bridges grew up in Philadelphia and is a lifelong Phillies' fan. The Diamondbacks' official Twitter account pointed out that he was pledging his allegiance to his hometown team at the wrong time, as Phoenix's baseball team was coming into town the next day.

After a playful exchange between the Diamondbacks' official Twitter account and Bridges, the Diamondbacks offered up a friendly wager.

If the Diamondbacks took the series, Bridges would have to come to a Diamondbacks game in a full-Diamondbacks uniform. 

If the Phillies won the series, the Diamondbacks would hold a special 'Mikal Bridges Appreciation Day' on their Twitter account when the Phillies visited Phoenix later in the summer. Bridges agreed to the terms of the bet.

Tuesday night, the Diamondbacks went above and beyond the original terms of the bet, hosting Bridges at Chase Field on his 26th birthday, allowing him to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, posting fun facts about Bridges on the Diamondbacks' scoreboard and changing the pictures on their official team Twitter and Instagram accounts to a picture of Bridges' face.

The Diamondbacks even changed their official Twitter name to 'Mikal Bridges Fan Account' for the day. 

The Diamondbacks had fans at the park sing 'Happy Birthday' to Bridges.

Bridges surprised the fans when he arrived wearing a Diamondbacks jersey.

The Diamondbacks won 12-3, as Zac Gallen extended his scoreless innings streak to 34.1, closing in on Brandon Webb's franchise record streak of 42.

Earlier in the day, the Diamondbacks exercised their club option to retain Torey Lovullo as the club's manager for the 2023 season.

In true Diamondbacks' Twitter fashion, the social media team didn't hesitate to rub the outcome of Tuesday night's game in Bridges' face.

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Jack Vita
JACK VITA

Jack Vita is a national baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation.

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