Rays' Taylor Walls Explains Trump-Inspired Celebration, Says It's Not an Endorsement

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls has clarified that his post-hit celebration, which resembled a gesture made by former President Donald Trump, was not intended as a political endorsement.

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Rays' Taylor Walls Explains Trump-Inspired Celebration, Says It's Not an Endorsement

This gesture mirrored Trump's reaction after being hit in the ear by a bullet during an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13. Walls initially stated that he was unlikely to repeat the celebration after a hit, but he later elaborated on the inspiration behind it.

Speaking ahead of the Rays' game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, Walls discussed how moved he was by Trump's resilience after the assassination attempt. "I think it's pretty inspirational when any person, in the blink of an eye, their life could be taken from them," Walls said. "They don't really know what's going on in the heat of the moment—to immediately stand up and show strength, to me, speaks pretty loudly. Anyone in that situation or that type of event, when it happens, it's strong. It kind of represents character to me and something that similarly I feel like I've faced those challenges in baseball, but on a much suppressed level."

Rays' Taylor Walls Explains Trump-Inspired Celebration, Says It's Not an Endorsement

Walls explained his decision not to continue the gesture after hits, stating that it was "kind of more of a joke that we have with guys in the locker room." "Joke may not be the right word," he clarified. "It was kind of just something that we had together that we thought was kind of funny, that we thought would be all right. I don't really see that going much further than that. I don't foresee myself doing it again."

When asked about his political leanings, Walls declined to specify who he would be voting for in the upcoming presidential election. However, he alluded to Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race while discussing his decision-making process. "You can read between the lines of how I carry myself, how I was raised, how me and my family coordinate, how we're going to go about things and do things," Walls explained. "That's kind of what I base my vote on and my view on."

Rays' Taylor Walls Explains Trump-Inspired Celebration, Says It's Not an Endorsement

Walls, who grew up in Georgia, played college baseball at Florida State University before being selected by the Rays in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft. Known more for his defensive skills than his batting, Walls was slashing .160/.286/.210 before Tuesday's game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.