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Max Scherzer loses perfect game bid when he hits Jose Tabata (Video)

By Jack Crosby

Jun 20, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 20, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Max Scherzer nearly had a perfect game on Saturday, but this play right here changed all of that

We were treated to some baseball history on Saturday as Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer threw a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, for as amazing as this feat is, it could have been even greater, until one moment ruined all of that.

Things were getting pretty intense in the night inning, as with two outs Scherzer still had the perfect game intact. All he had to do was get rid of Jose Tabata, which didn’t work out all that well.

Scherzer ended up plunking Tabata with a pitch, ruining the chances for a perfect game.

This was a devastating moment indeed, but here’s the thing: Did this actually have to happen? From the looks of it on the video, it seems as if Tabata leaned into the pitch. If he did lean into the pitch, then that was a pretty ugly thing to do. There’s just some unspoken things that you shouldn’t do, and leaning into a pitch with a perfect game on the line is one of them.

What do you think? Did Tabata lean into the pitch?

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