The Baez “run-down” at first base is so hilarious. Jomboy’s breakdown is very good. He focuses on what happened before and after the play.

Marquee Network has some extra views of the circus act.

The best Reddit comments on this bizarre play

I read through some 2,000 comments on Reddit, and pulled the best ones. Comments are grouped by player.

Javier Baez

I love that Javy took the time to watch the slide into home plate, signal “safe”, and then run to first base. Probably the most entertaining player in baseball.
— coocoocoonoicenoice

Reminds me of when Javy hugged Nolan Arenado to prevent a double play. Arenado was so confused he hugged back. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pGR8GGp9SJA
— AgreeableHamster6174

If the mark of a player was the combined highlights of their best 20 plays, Javy Baez would be the greatest baseball player who ever lived.
— BUSean

I think Javy running backwards threw him off. Normally you tag first but the guy isn’t running away from you. lol
— TheGeeB

Javy being Javy.
— Patrick2701

Pirates being Pirates.
— Feralmedic

Cubs first base coach Craig Driver

They later showed a replay with the first base coach windmilling Javy to get to first. lmao
— pessimist13k

Willson Contreras (the runner who scored)

Willson got on base by a single. With the count 0-2 on Baez, the pitcher tried picking Contreras off first. Instead of sliding back to first, Contreras just ran to second. The first baseman fumbles the ball, so Contreras steals second without a throw.

When the Baez rundown happened, Contreras scored not just from third base. He started that play on second base.

That’s the only reason this worked. Runner would not have gone home if it wasn’t, nothing to lose. Brilliant move by Contreras.
— AldoBooth

1B Will Craig

This is Will Craig’s 15th career major league game. He actually made mistakes on three separate plays that inning.

When Contreras was on first, he fumbled the pickoff throw.

He didn’t force Baez out, and didn’t tag Baez out.

After Baez scored on a blooper to center field, the very next batter hit the ball to him, and he fumbled it.

And this guy was once a first round draft pick!!
— Basic_Bichette

He won the 2019 MiLB gold glove for 1B btw with a 0.999 fielding percentage. Makes this all the more ridiculous.
— jeb_the_hick

2B Adam Frazier

This is his 6th year in MLB. No rookie excuses for Frazier.

I mean the second baseman not covering first is almost as bad as the first baseman not covering first, lmao.
— rhythmjones

Home plate umpire Ryan Additon

I didn’t see anyone on Reddit mention this: Technically, Baez should have been called out. Baseball rules 5.08 state:

If, with two out, the batter-runner refuses to advance to and touch first base, the umpire shall disallow the run, call out the offending player, and order the game resumed.

Pittsburg Pirates

The players watching this play are pretty amusing.

• #2 Erik González the third baseman
• #27 Kevin Newman the shortstop
• #31 Tyler Anderson the pitcher

Granted, this should have been an easy play. That’s probably why the players were walking to their dugout along third base in PNC Park.

Pirates are the most innovative team in the MLB when it comes to losing.
— allballs

Pirates broadcast call of the “play”
https://streamable.com/oskwmc

“Hahaha… oh wait.”
— BeHereNow91

The heck did he say at the end there? “The Kawayo pleas can be heard from here to Soowiggly”?
— joinking

[“The calliopes can be heard from here to Sewickley”]
The Calliopes (a musical instrument that’s kind of like an organ, often associated with comedy sketches where people are bumbling around can be heard from here to Sewickley (a suburb about 12 miles away from Pittsburgh)
— demeteloaf

What an awesome way to call them a bunch of clowns. lmao
— nosheashmamen

When your team gets slammed so hard you revert to your inner poet.
— MLDriverM

Overall observation

It deserves to be in both the Not Top 10 AND the Top 10
— allthefarts

Official MLB description of the play

MLB’s official description of the play is just as bizarre as what happened:

I’m not sure how the third baseman was involved here. Will Craig threw the ball to the catcher, not the third basemen.

The game results

Something that nobody is really mentioning:
Baez scored on a bloop single by the next batter.
The Cubs ended up winning the game 5-3.
So this play single-handedly lost the Pirates the game.
— daviswbaer

Anthony Rizzo laughing

Rizzo is the first baseman fully appreciates how ridiculous this circus act is by a fellow first baseman. At first I thought Rizzo was laughing so hard because he’s the lovable Rizzo. But viewing it through the lens of the 1B Rizzo, he knows exactly how absurd this is.

Rizzo captured how we all feel watching this
— Dan_Rydell

I swear watching Rizzo is one of the most fun things in baseball. Even when he’s not playing.
— 707royalty

As my friend put it: “He just looks like a guy that loves his grandma.”
— C3POhMyyy

Has anyone checked on Rizzo? He might have had a heart attack by the looks of it.
— flossdog

Anthony Rizzo on 10-day DL for strained abdominals.
— N8CCRG

Man that killed me when I saw it on the broadcast. I just love that guy and how much joy he has in the game so much. Dude is like a big kid playing baseball with his friends.
— an_actual_potato

Recap

Ok, so just for funsies, let’s list all of the mistakes that happen here:

Throw to first base is off-line

First baseman follows Baez down the line instead of just stepping on first for the force

First baseman does not tag Baez

First baseman jogs/walks after Baez instead of running to apply the tag

First baseman watches Contreras round third and does nothing, also continues to just not run and instead jog after Baez

This one’s debatable but the catcher is kinda standing in a weird place for the tag

Throw to the catcher by the first baseman is too slow

Throw to the catcher by the first baseman is too high (would Baez have been called for interfence if the throw hit him? IDK the rules.)

Baez and first baseman collide weirdly as Contreras slides in

Baez signals safe instead of then running to first right away

First baseman watches the tag play/umpire instead of doing… anything else

Pitcher watches the tag play/umpire instead of covering first

[EDIT: Catcher could have just tagged Baez.]

Catcher looks at umpire instead of prepping throw to first in case he’s safe

Second baseman/nobody else covers first base which is now wide open

2B drops the throw from the catcher as he covers the bag (Baez is gonna be safe at this point anyway 99%), allowing throw to go into right field

Right fielder (?) is covering up the line, which I guess is fine? But is not in line with the throw and neither is the CF, so when the throw trickles into right field nobody is there

After Baez is safe at first, 2B kinda just walks off?

Shortstop fails to catch the throw at second from the outfield/the throw is kinda shitty. Not sure who’s fault it is so grouping it as one.

There’s also a chance that 1B forgot how many outs there were, so maybe count that. idk. So, who is innocent here? Definitely the left fielder. Debatably the RF/CF and catcher. All in all, absolutely wonderful.
— tokengaymusiccritic

https://www.57hits.com/javier-baez-rundown-at-first-base

#AnthonyRizzo #ChicagoCubs #Etc #JavierBaez #PittsburghPirates #WillCraig #WillsonContreras