MINNEAPOLIS — Goodbye to boring baseball.
The Blue Jays’ four-game series split saved its biggest drama for the final inning, a controversial play at the plate that gave them a 3-2 win in 10 innings Sunday afternoon at Target Field and left Twins manager Rocco Baldelli throwing hat, kicking dirt and screaming officiating team.
With Whit Merrifield scored from third on a throw by left fielder Tim Beckham, there was a bang-and-bang play at the plate and he was ruled out. However, upon review, it was determined that Gary Sanchez had not allowed a clear lane for Merrifield’s rink and he was ruled safe. The Twins then failed to score in the bottom of the inning.
“The ruling is that Gary violated the plate collision rule and that the runner was safe,” umpire crew chief Alan Porter said when asked how Sanchez violated the rule.
“I thought it was going to be repealed and I thought it should be repealed,” Merrifield said. “Obviously this is an important point in the game and you don’t want it to come down to a rules decision, but the rules are there for a reason. A little while ago I could run over him and try to get the ball free, but you can’t do that anymore. He has to give me a path to slide into. I didn’t think I had one. Like I said, I think they made the right decision.
Merrifield’s mind was also buzzing as he went down the line. Earlier in the series, he saw Sanchez prepare to receive a throw at home. He knew it could drag Sanchez into his lane, so he took a straight shot, sliding his feet forward. After the win, caretaker manager John Schneider praised his new player for “the right slide”.
“Someone to step into this situation and ultimately make this decision.” [he] blocked the plate, it’s more than embarrassing for our game, for all the players out there, on both sides of the field, working [tails] for the whole game,” said Baldelli, who was sent off. “This is completely unacceptable.”
After Baldelli’s ejection, the boos got louder and louder. On the other side were the Blue Jays fans who love to flood Target Field cheering the surprising turnaround. The steel and concrete of the stadium itself felt alive.
Playoff atmosphere? Get used to it When Jordan Romano took the mound for the bottom half of the 10th, Twins fans erupted into boos again, matched only by chants of “Let’s go, Blue Jays.”
Just like the Twins’ win on Friday night, Sunday felt different from the dog days of June and July. The trade deadline has passed, the AL Wild Card race is heating up by the day, and every inning suddenly feels bigger. Until October, this is the style of baseball every night.
“Anytime you get that experience, it’s great,” Schneider said after the win. “When you get back into those places, it’s kind of like, ‘Been there, done that.’ I think it’s always better when you come out on the good side, but to be in those places is really great for the team. If we want to get where we want to go, there’s going to be a lot more than that.
The master of first impressions. What a start for Merrifield with the Blue Jays. In just four days, Merrifield showed Toronto the unique depth of his talents, whether in the box, on the bases or in the field. Having him available on the bench Sunday was the difference between winning and losing, and for a player coming from a team with one of the worst records in baseball in the Royals, it must feel like a new lease on life.
“Minnesota is a really good team. They’re in the middle of a playoff hunt, too,” Merrifield said. “It felt like a big series. It felt like one of the bigger series I’ve been on in a while.”
We’ll have to see Merrifield continue that, especially offensively after an uncharacteristically slow four months to open his season, but his inclusion on this roster was valuable and immediate. Whether in center or second base, he will be in the lineup most days. When he isn’t, just wait a few innings and you might see something like what he provided off the bench in the series finale.
The AL Beast It would still be stunning to see the Blue Jays (60-48) close a 9 1/2 game lead over the Yankees (70-39) over the last 54 games, but New York has lost five straight and red flags are flying. However, the AL East is as strong as ever, with the surprising Orioles (56-52) winning and the Red Sox (54-56) the only club with a losing record.
In the wild card race, Toronto is now two games out of first place, with the Rays and Mariners tied below them. Orioles, Guardians and White Sox all within three games of that second spot.
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