Jordan Hicks has a reputation as one of the fastest pitchers in baseball, but he failed terribly on a simple throw to first base Wednesday night.
The St. Louis Cardinals reliever’s throwing error in the bottom of the ninth allowed the Miami Marlins to score the tying and winning runs in a 10-9 walk-off victory.
Hicks, who entered in the ninth inning for the save opportunity, struck out a batter but allowed two men to reach. But he then got shortstop Joey Wendle to bounce weakly back to the mound.
Hicks cleanly gloved the ball, but then appeared to double-clutch pulling it out. When he finally threw to first, his throw sailed wildly over first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s head and rolled down the right-field line.
Game. That miscue allowed Garrett Hampson and Yuli Gurriel to score the tying and winning runs.
The Marlins walk it off on an absolutely brutal throwing error from Cardinals relief pitcher Jordan Hicks…😬pic.twitter.com/I0OIino1lk
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) July 6, 2023
Cardinals radio play-by-play announcer John Rooney’s call on KMOX tells the story of frustration for St. Louis fans.
KMOX broadcast calls Jordan Hicks' walk-off error
🎙️ John Rooney
🎨 Rich Horton#stlcards pic.twitter.com/irvMbFNbRP— VHS (@VanHicklestein) July 6, 2023
Throwing errors don’t get any worse than that, something MLB fans were quick to point out on Twitter, with some brutal takes.
Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,
But there is no joy in St Louis— Jordan Hicks has thrown it high pic.twitter.com/VecHPnE175— John Fitzgerald (@JohnFit24288310) July 6, 2023
Wtf did I just watch
— Joey Weinberg (@sipofweinberg) July 6, 2023
JORDAN HICKS TO SAVE THE GAME pic.twitter.com/uqREfQlCaa
— ɹǝʇunɥ (@HJohnson81) July 6, 2023
Jordan Hicks threw this ball to the moon pic.twitter.com/jDA8kk10i2
— Adam Samuels (@SamuelAdams_12) July 6, 2023
i don't think jordan hicks could have made a worse throw than this 😭 what a painful way to lose
— Evan (@OhChev) July 6, 2023
They should’ve swarmed Jordan Hicks 💀 https://t.co/3yban01HeW
— takes (@TakesWereMade_) July 6, 2023
Despite regularly reaching triple digits with his fastball, Hicks has struggled to put it all together in his MLB career. He now has a 4.15 ERA and 1.54 WHIP this season.
