Skip to main content
SI

Five Moments You Might Have Missed From a Wacky MLB Weekend

From a baserunning blunder to something that hadn't happened in nearly 43 years, here are five memorable moments from one wacky weekend of baseball.
Tim Capurso|
The walk-happy Pirates scored 17 runs in Saturday's win over the Reds.
The walk-happy Pirates scored 17 runs in Saturday's win over the Reds. | Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

As a lifelong lover of baseball, allow me to say this: baseball is weird sometimes. But weird is good. Weird is fun. While baseball can thrill us and provide excitement, it can sometimes also leave us scratching our heads.

The latter is what happened multiple times during a wacky weekend of baseball. Here are five moments you may have missed, with a weekend chock full of action that included the Kentucky Derby and NBA playoffs.

Five times baseball got weird this weekend

Pirates draw seven straight walks vs. Reds

It's often said that you never know what you're going to see on any given day when you come to the ballpark. On Saturday, Pirates fans who made the trip to PNC Park witnessed history in its most patient form, as the home team drew seven consecutive walks off of the Reds' pitching staff.

It all started innocently enough when Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz struck out to start the bottom of the second inning. But what began as a potential quick inning for the Reds' Rhett Lowder turned into anything but, for he proceeded to walk the bases loaded on 16 pitches, prompting Reds manager Terry Francona to emerge from the dugout and take the ball.

Unfortunately for Francona, reliever Connor Phillips also was stricken with a bad case of walk-itis, as he walked Pirates infielder Nick Gonzales on four pitches. Amazingly, three more Pirates also walked before Henry Davis grounded into a fielder's choice to end the incredible run, or should we say walk? Fittingly, the Pirates broadcast at one point played the tune, “The Walker” by Fits and the Tantrums, as it went to commercial break in a very appropriate segue.

Such a string of walks had only ever happened twice, and last occurred in 1983.

Randy Arozarena's forgetfulness ends a Mariners' rally

Baseball is commonly referred to as a thinking man's game. Well, Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena had a brain fart during Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Royals.

It was the bottom of the fifth inning and the Mariners, with two outs, loaded the bases after Arozarena drew a walk off of Royals starter Seth Lugo. The ensuing Mariners batter Cole Young worked the count even at 2-2, but Arozarena thought the count was 3-and-2 and took off for second base, which was occupied by teammate and shortstop J.P. Crawford.

Arozarena was a sitting duck between the first and second base lines and was ultimately picked off.

Arozarena and Mariners manager Dan Wilson attempted to argue interference, claiming that Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino had blocked the Mariners outfielder's path on the bases, but the umpiring crew wasn't having it. Arozarena's unfortunate blunder ended the inning. And while Seattle had actually taken a 2-1 lead that inning, it was a chance to tack on some runs, something the Mariners later wished they had done when they eventually lost 3-2 in extra innings.

Wilyer Abreu mistakenly indicates he'd like to challenge a ball

In case you hadn't heard, the accidental ABS challenge is a real thing. Sunday's Red Sox-Astros game provided another memorable entry into the accidental ball-strike challenge system files. In the bottom of the first inning, Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu, with the count 2-and-2, took a four-seamer at the letters from Astros righthander Cody Bolton, prompting a very loud summary of affairs from home-plate umpire Laz Diaz.

“3-2!” Diaz loudly exclaimed, holding up three fingers on his left hand and two on his right to indicate that the pitch had been a ball and the count was full.

Only Abreu, perhaps in a case of selective hearing, seemed to think that Diaz had rung him up for strike three, so he tapped his helmet to indicate a challenge. Diaz, confused as to why Abreu wanted to challenge a called ball, told him that he had not, in fact, called him out on strikes, prompting a chuckle from both men.

Dodgers broadcast booth teases Shohei Ohtani for reaction to 75-mph HBP

Getting hit by a pitch hurts, especially in this day and age of high-octane velocity. That said, Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and the team's broadcast booth combined to provide some comedic relief around a typically painful moment for players during Los Angeles's 4-1 win over the Cardinals on Sunday.

During the top of the seventh inning, Ohtani dug into the box against Cardinals lefty Justin Bruihl, who promptly plunked him in the region somewhere between the lower back and rump with a 75-mph sweeper, eliciting a loud yelp from the four-time MVP.

Ohtani smiled and shared a laugh with Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson as he made his way up the first-base line.

Dodgers play-by-play announcer Joe Davis, meanwhile, was not convinced by Ohtani's exclamation.

“That was a little dramatic for that 75 mph sweeper,” Davis joked.

When the ball is stuck in your glove, just throw the whole darn thing over

What happens when you field the ball and it's stuck in your glove? We found out the answer to that question during the Mets' 5-1 win over the Angels on Sunday.

Holding onto a 1-0 lead with one on and one out in the top of the third inning, Angels righthander Jack Kochanowicz got Mets slugger Juan Soto to chop a ball to first baseman Nolan Schanuel. As Schanuel fielded the ball, he glanced at second base to see if it was possible to get the lead runner. But as he figured out that that wasn't possible, Schanuel figured out that something else also wasn't possible.

He couldn't get the ball out of his glove.

So as he ran towards first base—which Kochanowicz was covering—Schanuel decided to toss his whole glove over to first rather than risk not getting Soto. Kochanowicz caught the whole glove for the memorable out.

“I've never had that happen before,” Kochanowicz told MLB.com after the game. “Don't think I'll ever have that again. But, I mean, credit him for not panicking. It's a crazy play.”

More MLB from Sports Illustrated

Add us as a preferred source on Google
Published | Modified
Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.

Home/MLB