Bo Naylor’s 360-degree spin throw is the coolest way to catch someone stealing
The Kansas City Royals hosted the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night, and the game was scoreless until the bottom of the eighth inning. That’s when Kansas City infielder Kicky Lopez came to the plate with Dairon Blanco on third base, and just one out.
Lopez chopped a slow roller right back to pitcher Trevor Stephan, who corralled the grounder and looked home, as Blanco had gone halfway down the first-base line.
Stephan’s throw was, well, a little off-target:
The throwing error allowed Blanco to score and put Lopez on first, still with just one out.
With the Royals having their No. 9 hitter up next, catcher Freddy Fermin, manager Matt Quatraro tried to get Lopez into scoring position via a stolen base. However, Cleveland bench coach DeMarlo Hale, who was managing the Guardians as Terry Francona was in the hospital for “observation” after feeling ill earlier in the day, was ready.
Hale called for the pitchout, hoping to give catcher Bo Naylor an easier chance at cutting down Lopez.
There was one, slight, problem.
Stephan’s throw was again a little off-target:
Naylor pops out from behind home plate and slides over to the left-handed hitter’s batting box. But the throw is inside to the right-handed Fermin. Still, Naylor is able to arch back to catch the errant pitchout attempt, pull of a complete 360-degress spin, and still throw down to second in time to catch Lopez stealing.
Making matters worse for the Royals?
Cleveland scores two runs in the top of the ninth, and won the game 2-1.
And Stephan, despite the two off-target throws in the eighth, was the winning pitcher.
How can you not be romantic about baseball?
