Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Nothing like a “Little League home run” in the AL East
It has not been the best start to the season for the Boston Red Sox.
Boston began the day with a 30-28 record, and a chance to take their second game in three days from the Tampa Bay Rays. But after Sunday’s 6-2 loss to Tampa, the Red Sox now sit at 30-29, one game above .500.
While that might be good in some other divisions, in this year’s AL East, that sees Boston dead last in the division, 11 games behind Tampa. Boston also sits 6.5 games back of the Baltimore Orioles for second place, and 2.5 back of Toronto for fourth in the division.
Plays like this debacle from the top of the sixth inning will not help Boston climb out of the cellar.
Tampa’s Yandy Diaz came up to the plate with a runner on first base and two outs. The Rays started center fielder Manuel Margot with the pitch, and Diaz executed a perfect hit-and-run, chopping the ball to the spot vacated by the second baseman, who had left to cover the bag on the steal.
That’s good baseball from Tampa.
What followed from Boston is anything but:
The throw from right fielder Alex Verdugo comes in towards second, which gives Margot, who was moving on the pitch, a chance to break for home. The throw from second baseman Enmanuel Valdez is late, and the Rays extend their lead to 5-2.
However, we’re just getting started. Because as the throw comes home, Diaz sees a chance to take off for second. A decent throw down from catcher Connor Wong probably ends the inning, but instead the throw skips into center field.
Where nobody is, because center fielder Jarren Duran had worked over to right field to back up Verdugo initially. By the time Verdugo tracks down the loose ball, Diaz is rounding third and coming home, and the boos are raining down in Fenway Park.
That’s not a play that will make any coaching instructional videos anytime soon.
