Inside The Twins

Watch: Matt Wallner fields a ball, flips over short wall at Tropicana Field

This play led to one of the longer reviews you'll ever see in a baseball game.
Sep 4, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA;  Minnesota Twins outfielder Matt Wallner (38) catches a fly ball against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Tropicana Field.
Sep 4, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Minnesota Twins outfielder Matt Wallner (38) catches a fly ball against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Tropicana Field. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

In this story:


Every time you watch a baseball game, there's a chance you'll see something you've never seen before. Like Twins right fielder Matt Wallner fielding a base hit and then flipping over the short wall in foul territory at Tropicana Field on Thursday.

Wallner chased down the hit off the bat of the Rays' Yandy Diaz and was thinking about spinning to throw the ball to second, but his momentum took him over the wall. The umpires ruled that because the ball went out of play, Diaz had to go back to second after he reached third base on the play.

What came next was one of the longest reviews you'll ever see in a baseball game. The action was stalled for nearly ten minutes as the replay center in New York deliberated over what to do with Diaz on such an unusual play. It was bizarre that the process took as long as it did, especially when the end result was to confirm that Diaz had to remain at second.

After the long review, Twins starter Pablo López exited the game and was replaced by Griffin Jax, who recorded a one-pitch out to end the seventh inning.

Wallner also hit his 11th home run of the season earlier in the game. The Twins won 4-3 in the series finale.


Published | Modified
Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

Share on XFollow WillRagatz