Cody Bellinger has impressed coaches and teammates with his defence since joining the Yankees. His heads-up play in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Tampa Bay changed the course of a game.
Bellinger’s Crucial Throw
The Yankees were locked in a scoreless game, having lost three straight and all four previous meetings against the Rays this season. Pinch runner Oliver Dunn was on second base and Junior Caminero on first with two outs.
With the runners going on a 3-2 pitch from Fernando Cruz, Ryan Vilade singled to left. Tampa Bay was on the verge of taking the lead before Bellinger threw to Ryan McMahon at third base instead of firing home.
Caminero was tagged out at third before Dunn got to the plate, keeping the game tied.
Aaron Judge, who won the game in the ninth with a home run, said: “That was a game-changing throw. It was heads up.”
Aaron Boone credited outfield coach Luis Rojas for bringing Bellinger in slightly before the play “with something like that in mind.” Bellinger had to quickly get to the ball and throw to third off the wet grass, and McMahon picked the ball and finished the play.
Players React to the Play
Bellinger said it was “all [McMahon]. I picked my head up and Mac had a huge target at third. I threw a pretty nasty sinker. He did a great job to pick it and tag him. Once he tagged him, I didn’t think the run had scored.” A review confirmed the out at third, and that the tag beat Dunn to the plate.
Bellinger called the play “huge” and added he didn’t consider throwing home, knowing the runners would be going on the pitch with a full count. “You really don’t have a chance at home,” Bellinger said. “I tried to throw the ball to [McMahon] as best I could. It wasn’t easy out there.”
McMahon called the play “all reactionary.”
“I started to run in to cut off the throw home, and as I was going there, I remembered they were on the run, so I had to go back to third,” McMahon said. “I felt [Bellinger] was pretty close and I was able to get the ball. Knowing we should be down 1-0 and was still tied instead was big.”
The Yankees didn’t score in the bottom of the inning, but Tim Hill tossed a scoreless ninth before Judge ended it with his 17th homer.
Bellinger’s play helped end a five-game losing streak last July and begin a five-game winning streak.
“It was a really heads-up, great play by a great defender,’’ B