The New York Yankees faced Baltimore Orioles for the series opener at the Yankees stadium on Tuesday. The Oriole has witnessed a meteoric rise this season which made them a tough opponent to deal with for the Bronx Bombers. However, the team was high in spirits post a successful road trip. Still, the home team was forced to toil hard for the ultimate win.
The Orioles added steady runs in each inning to avoid pressure from the Yankees. Eventually, they managed to earn a lead in the sixth inning, which ironically put the pressure back on the home team. Yet, the Bombers managed to create a scoring opportunity in the very next inning, which the baseman, DJ LeMahieu, ended up blowing completely. Fans and analysts alike questioned his move to which DJ has now issued a viable explanation.
Yankees DJ LeMahieu Explains The Idea Behind His Uncanny Bunt Play
The New York Yankees received a perfect opportunity to put up a run board and level the scores against the Baltimore Orioles. During the seventh inning, the Yankees had two runners on the corners, with Gleyber Torres being on the third base. Just then, the team’s regular baseman, DJ LeMahieu, stepped up on the plate. All DJ had to do was either drive a single or sacrifice a flyout. Instead, the baseman ended up blowing his chance with a bizarre play. LeMahieu attempted a bunt to squeeze enough time for Torres to reach home.
????? pic.twitter.com/y4zMxuBpH8
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 24, 2023
However, the move backfired as Gleyber Torres was called out for failing to reach the base in time. The fans in the stadium were perplexed by LeMahieu’s move and booed him as he went back to the dugout. That could have cost the Yankees the game had Aaron Judge not hit a game-tying homer in the ninth. Later, DJ LeMahieu spoke to Brendan Kuty of the Athletic and said he chose to go for a bunt since Orioles reliever Jennifer Cano gives away a lot of grounders. Moreover, the baseman did not regret his decision and vowed to do it again if necessary.
Aaron Boone Defends DJ LeMahieu Amid Heavy Criticism
DJ LeMahiue faced the wrath of the fans for nearly blowing up the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. The baseman further went on to defend his actions and reckoned that he was acting on his own. Nobody from the management asked him to pull off such a play. Meanwhile, the Yankees manager, Aaron Boone, has come out to defend his player. He said DJ thought at the moment that it was the right thing to do. Even though it didn’t work out, the skipper has no problem with it.
Aaron Boone further echoed DJ LeMahieu’s sentiments and said the idea of pulling off a bunt against a pitcher with high groundball rates seemed like a smart choice. However, the execution was not on point, which cost the Yankees a run. Still, if the baseman wants to pull off such stunts in the foreseeable future, he has the manager’s blessings and unconditional support.
