2025 MLB bobblehead giveaway superlatives: Scooters, married couples, Star Wars, and more
Most adorable bobblehead: Michael Harris riding a scooter, Atlanta Braves
A post shared by Atlanta Braves (@braves)
On Sept. 8 the Braves are giving away a bobblehead of outfielder Michael Harris riding scooter (because he likes to ride his scooter around). Both the bobblehead itself and Harris' reaction to it are adorable.
Best married couple bobblehead: Dansby and Mallory Swanson, Chicago Cubs
Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is married to Chicago Stars forward Mal Swanson (who threw a first pitch to her husband at a Cubs game a couple years ago), so it's about time Chicago's top athlete power couple was immortalized with a tandem bobblehead. This one will be available on Aug. 17.
Best Star Wars Night bobblehead: X-Wing Pilot Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres
Star Wars Night has become a ballpark staple across the country, so there is a lot of competition for this category, but no other offering can match the Padres' Xander Bogaerts X-Wing fighter pilot bobblehead. Look how happy he is to be flying that little X-Wing!
Most unfortunately timed bobblehead: Rafael Devers light-up City Connect, Boston Red Sox
CARITA 🟢
Get your Raffy Fenway Greens bobblehead at tonight's game! pic.twitter.com/rqEL985PG7
— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 23, 2025
Yeah, this one was given away less than a month before Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants. It's a good thing they didn't plan this one for the second half of the season, at least. (Side note: Light up bobbleheads are a cool concept and we need to see more of them.)
Best player who looks like a celebrity crossover bobblehead: Joe Ryan as Billy from Stranger Things, Minnesota Twins
A post shared by Minnesota Twins (@twins)
At this point it's well established that Twins pitcher Joe Ryan looks incredibly similar to Billy from Stranger Things. He's said people have mistaken him in public for the character. So with the Netflix show's final season set to release later this year, the Twins will be having Joe Ryan Stranger Things bobblehead night on July 9.
Best reminder that Ken Griffey Jr. briefly played for the Chicago White Sox 17 years ago bobblehead: Ken Griffey Jr., Chicago White Sox
Griffey played 41 games and had 150 plate appearances for the White Sox in 2008, and since the club doesn't have much going for it these days, it decided to produce a bobblehead to commemorate this footnote in his hall-of-fame career. So as of Aug. 24, White Sox fans will be able to say, 'Ken Griffey Jr. really did play for them and I have the bobblehead to prove it!'
Most self-aggrandizing bobblehead: David Rubenstein, Baltimore Orioles
And if you want a bobblehead of yours truly, see you on April 19th. Go @Orioles! pic.twitter.com/oKCJnzSS6t
— David M. Rubenstein (@DM_Rubenstein) April 1, 2025
When you have enough money to own an MLB franchise, you've reached a point where you can pretty much do whatever you want, including having said franchise give away bobbleheads of you. It's an unusual move for a team to give away bobbleheads of its current owner for a variety of reasons. And speaking of unusual, why is Bobblehead Rubenstein wearing a hat and holding another hat? It's too many hats. Anyway, next season the Orioles should give away a bobblehead of Rubenstein holding an even smaller bobblehead of Rubenstein. It's the only thing that can redeem this situation.
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(Top photo of the Dodgers' Ice Cube bobblehead: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
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