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Former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star pitcher Ricky Bottalico must have watched the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday night.
The pre-show aired on Netflix, which included Elle Duncan, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols and Anthony Rizzo, reenacted Bonds’ battle with Bottalico in 1998. Bottalico knocked out Bonds during a game between the Phillies and the San Francisco Giants, sparking Bonds’ only time on the mound.
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Ricky Bottalico of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during a game against St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Mo. (Jonathan Kirn/Allsport)
While Duncan said Bottalico swore the pitch was getting away from him, Bonds denied it.
“No, it didn’t, it didn’t get away,” Bonds said. “He’s a good pitcher and he’s a good man. In that situation, it was part of the game of baseball in those days and I accepted it.”
Bottalico pushed back on Duncan’s notion that the ball got away from him when he appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic on Tuesday before the MLB All-Star Game took place in Philadelphia.
“That’s a bold-faced lie.” he said. “I’ve told the story on this show, I’ve told the story on NBC Sports Philadelphia, I’ve told the story. I was told to go in and beat Barry Bonds. It’s that simple.
Elle Duncan attends The 7th Annual Sports Power Brunch: Celebrating the Most Powerful Women in Sports at Four Seasons San Francisco on February 4, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Jeff Schear/Getty Images)
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“When it happens, in the papers the next day and all that, I had to say I didn’t do it on purpose or I’m suspended for a month. It’s that simple. Yes, we had to lie back then.”
Bottalico said he went back to the locker room and his coaches said, “Don’t tell me you did it on purpose.”
“Elle, wrong, wrong, wrong, oh, did I say wrong? Wrong,” he added.
Bottalico said the team was frustrated with Bonds because he stole a base when the Giants were up seven runs. He said he wasn’t even supposed to pitch that day since he had to have surgery and he had already shown up the night before.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ricky Bottalico is shown in action on the mound. (RVR Photos/USA TODAY Sports)
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The right-hander made one All-Star appearance in his career – the 1996 season. That year, he had a 3.65 ERA in 69 appearances. He played five straight years for the Phillies before becoming a journeyman in the league.
