It’s difficult to describe just how good Major League Baseball players are at baseball. They can throw pitches that seemingly defy physics, and other players can hit those pitches 450-plus feet. It’s nothing short of incredible.
Baseball is also a game that can make those same players look like 8-year-olds playing for the first time.
On Sunday, that happened to the New York Yankees and it was a sight to behold.
In the second inning of the Yankees’ game against the San Diego Padres, Jose Azocar singled on a line drive to center field. Harrison Bader fielded the ball and came up firing to home in an attempt to throw out Ha-Seong Kim at home. But Bader airmailed his throw to the backstop, and Azocar kept running the entire way. You might want to see catcher Kyle Higashioka hold the ball and limit the damage (or for Gerrit Cole to back up the play).
But no, he did this instead …
The Yankees might have just displayed the worst defense you will see in MLB all year pic.twitter.com/k4mEblEPgN
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 28, 2023
Higashioka threw the ball all the way into left field, allowing Azocar to score on a Little League home run (officially a single and two errors). Anytime you’re frustrated at your job, just remember that the New York Yankees can look like that.
The Yankees would shake off that defensive embarrassment and score seven runs in the third inning, but that didn’t stop MLB fans from roasting the play.
This was how Twitter reacted
This is what happens in co-op when the meter doesn’t show up right away on @MLBTheShow https://t.co/OwQhWMYJig
— slade james (@SladeZjames) May 28, 2023
So many cringeworthy moments in one clip. Ya hate to see it… https://t.co/6UbVXCnQAk
— Bryan Fraley Jr (@bryan_fraley) May 28, 2023
mets have bounced the ball around the infield a lot this year..
but this is legit little league esque lmao https://t.co/onIYaBgyT5
— EP3 (@GoBirds_LFGM) May 28, 2023
This brings me a tremendous amount of joy. It’s beautiful. https://t.co/FNR1Av5T7O
— paige (@paigeyb88) May 28, 2023
Was that ball filled with helium? https://t.co/lbEsZuEbMe
— Ryan Mobley (@MobleyRyan) May 28, 2023
Somehow, this is worse than what we've seen today 😂😂 https://t.co/z7TaAwk4Be
— Rays The Roof (@RaysTheRoofTB) May 28, 2023
Reminds me of my softball team on Sundays when they start throwing the ball around https://t.co/oNNbWbgwfX
— King of Trash (@KingOfTrash_2) May 28, 2023
Little league baseball at its finest https://t.co/bilR5MrsSj
— Ryan (@RyanMoeNeal) May 28, 2023
Catcher said "I can do it better" lmao https://t.co/V7BtpKo1NL
— FalchionWielder (@FalcionWielder) May 28, 2023
You will never see two throws farther from their target on the same play. Unless there are baseball games tomorrow, in which case you might because #baseball. #Yankees. https://t.co/kDD3XPoUCC
— Terry Mesmer (@TerryMesmer) May 28, 2023
Here it is. Hide the children. This is as bad a defensive sequence as you will ever see a Major League team make https://t.co/DByxTR7sPO
— Brian Dawson (@heybriandawson) May 28, 2023
Reminds me of this play pic.twitter.com/0qxQVHhmmn https://t.co/26sH1EPRyY
— ° (@davantegoat) May 28, 2023