In the MLB Postseason, every move is magnified. Every pitch, every swing, every move in the field. And, especially, every move on the basepaths. Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. found this out the hard way on Wednesday afternoon. Minnesota Twins pitcher Sonny Gray caught Vlad napping with a stealthy pickoff throw to Carlos Correa that has the MLB world buzzing.
The decision to go for the pickoff was an incredibly bold choice. Gray had two runners on base in scoring position with two outs. There was a 3-2 count as well to Blue Jays All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette. But Gray had nerves of steel as he swiftly went for the pickoff. Correa made an incredible play on the ball and on the tag to get Guerrero to end the threat.
What a massive pickoff by the @Twins! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/i4g9ULQmjx
— MLB (@MLB) October 4, 2023
While Guerrero pled that he touched the bag, replays showed that Correa tagged him before he could touch the base. Thus, the threat ended, the Jays returned to the dugout, and the Twins maintained the lead.
Minnesota leads 2-0 in the bottom of the 6th inning. If they go on to win the game, then they’ll earn their first MLB Postseason series win since the 2002 American League Division Series. They defeated the Oakland Athletics in 5 games. On Tuesday, the Twins snapped the longest postseason-game losing streak in North American sports history. Prior to their win in Game 1, Minnesota lost 18 consecutive postseason games dating back to 2004.
It’s humorous, in a way, to see Minnesota benefit from the lucky bounces and the 50-50 plays. They also were fortunate later that Matt Chapman fouled away a pitch that looked like trouble off the bat. Chapman promptly grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the inning and, once again, the threat.
The MLB world has been buzzing since the incredible pickoff by the Twins on the Jays. In some ways, it was an inexcusable move by Guerrero to get caught napping in that spot as the potential tying run. That thought was near consensus online.
This won't be the prevailing opinion I think but: Vlad getting thrown out there is way worse than whatever pitching decisions the Jays have made today
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) October 4, 2023
Oh my goodness.
Bo Bichette won't get a chance to swing in that situation after all.
Gray and Correa execute a perfect pickoff play to get Vlad off 2nd base. Stands upon review.
Absurd.
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) October 4, 2023
At least the managing decision, though I hated it, had some analytical reasoning behind it. Vlad getting picked off is inexcusable. https://t.co/sNQ1x7cmtV
— I Hate My Favourite Teams (@CarcelMousineau) October 4, 2023
Talk about mistakes, Blue Jays can’t do anything right today. Absolutely inexcusable for Vlad Jr to be picked off there
— Marc Luino (@GiraffeNeckMarc) October 4, 2023
Buck and Dan going absolutely SILENT going to commercial after the Vlad blunder that ended the push. Frustrating game. pic.twitter.com/gu7EXJ3Doq
— BUCKaneer 🏴☠️⚾️ (@GetUpBallGone) October 4, 2023
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