If there was ever a sign the Washington Nationals are in store for a long season, Thursday’s blundering baserunning play surely exemplified the notion. Unfortunately the two culprits were the Nationals best two offensive players, Juan Soto and Josh Bell.
Soto led off the fourth inning with a double. Bell came to the plate and hit a hard liner to third. For some reason Soto jumped to third despite Mets third baseman Luis Guillrome fielding the grounder with ease.
Soto was caught in a run down and was tagged out at third by Taijuan Walker. The tag knocked Soto to the ground. The rundown allowed Bell to take his chances turning the corner and running to second. Walker threw the ball away trying to get Bell. However, the ball bounced into the glove of outfielder Starlin Marte.
For some unforeseen reason, Bell took off towards third. Yet, Soto was still laying down in front of the third base bag. Marte threw the ball to third to get Bell tagged out. Bell was blocked from the bag by Soto.
The Mets got two outs off one play thanks to baffling gaffes.
There was so much to unpack on the play. Soto collided into Walker, who gave the 23-year old Nationals slugger a good hard shoulder check. Then Walker stood over Soto, who laid on the ground with a puzzling look.
Then there was the Nationals third base coach Gary DiSarcina inadvertently providing the most hilarious moment of the play. As Soto is still on the ground, DiSarcina motions to Bell coming to third to get down and slide. How? Where was he going to go with Soto literally blocking the bag?
The Nationals lost the game 4-1. After the game, Soto explained his decision to go for the third on the grounder that was fielded directly in front of him.
“I told the guys I’m sorry, I thought he hit the ball harder,” Soto explained per MASN Sports’ Mark Zuckerman. “And I was thinking he gonna cut it backhanded. But … he’s coming in for the ball. So I was just caught in the middle of nothing.”
Meanwhile, Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Bell saw the ball go past him on Walker’s throw. Bell thought the ball went into the outfield and did not see Marte cut the errant throw off.
Martinez said the baserunning “wasn’t good.”
That’s an understatement. The loss dropped the Nationals to a 11-22 record. It’s already been an array of blunders for the Nationals this long season. However, it’s going to take a lot to be more head-scratching than Soto and Bell’s baserunning gaffe.
