In a world where every play is subject to scrutiny from slow-motion, high-definition cameras with incredible zoom capabilities, we get to fully appreciate when a Major League Baseball player successfully avoids a tag. And thanks to Baltimore Orioles‘ second baseman Rougned Odor, we got a glorious play on Tuesday night.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Odor hit a blooper into shallow right-center field for what appeared to be a simple base hit. However, Toronto Blue Jays center fielder George Springer took his time getting to the ball, so Odor decided to take advantage of it and stretch the play into a double.
His decision to go to second base might have been ill-advised because the throw easily beat him to the bag. But thanks to an absolutely incredible slide to avoid the tag from Blue Jays’ shortstop Bo Bichette, Odor was safe at second.
Rougned Odor, safe somehow, because why not pic.twitter.com/X4fxdv2rni
— Zach Silver (@zachsilver) September 7, 2022
This might be one of the best slides to avoid a tag I’ve ever seen pic.twitter.com/jPP6cNq3U4
— Ben Palmer (@benjpalmer) September 7, 2022
In addition to the incredible move to avoid the tag, Odor also managed to keep his hand on the bag throughout the slide.
All in all, it was an absolutely incredible play when it looked like he would surely be tagged out, and the MLB world had plenty to say about it.
Me sliding into Kliff’s DMs pic.twitter.com/zO7y9pf2WG
— lindsey ok (@lindseyyok) September 7, 2022
Better look at the slide of the year https://t.co/010uICXXiJ
— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) September 7, 2022
man turned on bullet time on the way to second https://t.co/HvWsghf2rJ
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) September 7, 2022
— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) September 7, 2022
An exact summary of my emotions watching that Odor double pic.twitter.com/LmL0LYvb7s
— Orioles Fan Ryan (@OriolesFanRyan) September 7, 2022
Rougie Odor had the O's broadcast absolutely baffled with this swim move pic.twitter.com/l8sDYJ2lWr
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 7, 2022
The play was ultimately reviewed, but the cameras showed that Odor clearly beat the tag and he was confirmed safe at second base, making this a candidate for slide of the year.
