Sometimes in sports, the best thing to do is throw caution to the wind and try to make the impossible happen. Other times, though, it’s best to just cut your losses. Dominic Smith and the Washington Nationals found themselves in the latter category on Monday night.
The Nationals were taking on the Seattle Mariners. Washington’s starting pitcher, Trevor Williams, was pulled after four innings and the game tied 3-3. Cory Abbott replaced Williams and was given no time to settle in.
Seattle’s Teoscar Hernández took the first pitch Abbott threw right back up the middle. The ball hit Abbott and bounced over to first baseman, Dominic Smith. Smith had a chance to retire Hernández, but needed two things to happen. One, he needed to retrieve the ball quickly and make an accurate through. Two, someone needed to be covering first base.
Smith had the first part down. Unfortunately for him, Abbott obviously couldn’t get over to first base and because of the defensive alignment, second baseman Luis García couldn’t either. So, Smith’s throw was not to Abbott, García or even John Cena.
It was to nobody.
"That would have been a great play if somebody was at first base."
If only. pic.twitter.com/2dX35QW9h0
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 27, 2023
"Where'd who go?"
A great call from @AngieMentink, as well. https://t.co/4538yu8TW1
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 27, 2023
Baseball fans had no shortage of jokes about this play.
https://twitter.com/MrMatthewCFB/status/1673529209203970048
The Mets are rubbing off on other NL East teams https://t.co/0VumG0nmY2
— III (@tweetingclip) June 27, 2023
Gotta know the alignment there, buddy. Your second baseman is basically straight up the middle, don't think he's getting over to cover first for ya. https://t.co/wz1XlRJjnz
— Caleb 🌹 (@chisportsguy41) June 27, 2023
It does seem unfair to the Mariners that the Nationals get two first basemen, Dom Smith and his imaginary friend. pic.twitter.com/LJVGXQHJ7r
— Mariner Muse (@MarinerMuse) June 27, 2023
The instant regret from Dom Smith 😂😂😂pic.twitter.com/IcoNffH7ob
— Lineups (@lineups) June 27, 2023
Sometimes these bloopers are easy to laugh at but don’t actually impact the game too much. Unfortunately for the Nationals, that was not the case here. Hernández got to third on a groundout from Cal Raleigh, then scored on a sacrifice fly from Eugenio Suárez. Seattle scored twice more in the inning to take a 6-3 lead.
[Photo Credit: Root Sports Northwest]
