Mitch Moreland makes appearance on Jeopardy

You never know when there will be a baseball reference in a television program. Such was the case on Tuesday when Oakland A’s designated hitter Mitch Moreland was a part of Jeopardy.

While he was not a contestant, he still made the show. He was referenced as part of a clue although Jeopardy got his nickname wrong, possibly in an attempt to make the answer more apparent.

Mitch Moreland part of an answer on Jeopardy

It is a bit surprising that Moreland would have been chosen as part of the clue. There are plenty of better known players while the A’s DH has gone through his career in relative anonymity. Perhaps that was why Moreland was selected; while the incorrect nickname may have helped with the answer, he was not an obvious player.

That is not to say that Moreland has been a mediocre player. He won the Gold Glove at first in 2016 and was an All Star in 2018. While he struggled in his season in Oakland, Moreland does have a lifetime .251/.318/.446 batting line in his 4536 plate appearances, hitting 186 homers and 219 doubles.

It may even be possible that Moreland returns to the A’s in 2022. His 94 OPS+ may have been disappointing, but he did hit ten homers and 11 doubles in 252 plate appearances. Moreland missed time due to COVID and a wrist issue, both of which could have hampered his performance.

As the A’s will be looking to fill out their roster as cheaply as possible, Moreland could get another chance. That may particularly be the case if the expected fire sale happens once the lockout ends. The A’s could need an option at first base or as their designated hitter, making a relatively inexpensive Moreland worth a look.

Mitch Moreland has been a solid, albeit relatively anonymous, player. He has gotten his 15 minutes of fame in a different way as a Jeopardy clue.