David Ortiz walks to first before fourth pitch (Video)
By Cory Buck
David Ortiz wasn’t going to waste time with a 3-0 count. The Cubs didn’t want to pitch to him and he didn’t want to waste time. So he saved fans at Tuesday’s Red Sox-Cubs match a few seconds by trotting to first before the ball was hardly out of the hand of Cubs pitcher Neil Ramirez, as seen below.
More from Boston Red Sox
- After frantic trade day, Kiké Hernandez grateful for second chance with Dodgers
- MLB Rumors: Potential Braves reunion, Lance Lynn no-trade clause and Orioles deadline intentions
- Braves-Red Sox start time: Braves rain delay in Boston on July 25
- MLB Trade Grades: Dodgers reunite with familiar face in Red Sox deal
- MLB Rumors: Braves trade package, White Sox-Reds deal, Mets disaster
As the announcer notes. Papi “knows they don’t want to pitch to him.” It may have looked like a move of arrogance or showmanship, but really it just looked like Ortiz was annoyed. It was the 7th inning of a tie ball game with a guy on first, and the Cubs had no interest in going for a double play or trying at all to get Ortiz out. Instead they chose to walk him and move on to the next guy. Ortiz made plain his feelings on that decision.
The Cubs did win the game 2-1 so for all that, it seems that they had the right strategy in mind. The team scored the tie breaking run in the top of the ninth before getting the final out in the bottom of the ninth inning on a play to first against a Dustin Pedroia hit that was upheld under review. The teams will play again on Wednesday night at 7PM EST.