Umpire throws bat at player, a breakdown

Jun 10, 2021 3.1M views 2:40
MLB 2021

What Happened

In the bottom of the first inning of a game between the Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays, rookie pitcher Yusei Kikuchi of the Blue Jays is on the mound. With two outs, Kikuchi throws a pitch to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays, but the ball gets past the catcher, allowing base runner Josh Lamb to advance to second base. On the next pitch, another ball gets by the catcher, and Lamb scores on a single through the gap. As the throw comes home, it hits Chicago first baseman José Abreu, who was standing on deck. Abreu goes down, and the umpire, who has been having trouble with his strike zone, picks up Abreu's bat to clear it from the field of play. However, the umpire accidentally hits Abreu in the knee with the barrel of the bat. Abreu's manager, Tony La Russa, comes out to check on his player and asks the umpire if Abreu wants his bat back. The young umpire, who has been featured in several viral video breakdowns, apologizes and offers to let Abreu throw the bat if he wants to. Abreu, with a banged-up knee, takes a few pitches, fouling one off before eventually walking back to the dugout. The game continues, with the Blue Jays holding a narrow lead. The incident with the umpire throwing the bat at Abreu has left the players, coaches, and fans in disbelief at the unusual turn of events. It's a moment that will be talked about long after the final out is recorded, a bizarre play that highlights the unpredictable nature of the game of baseball.

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something happened in this white sox

blue jays game that you're probably not

going to see again and it's brought to

you

by dugout mugs mlb baseball bats turned