In the first inning of Thursday night's series finale against the Blue Jays, the New York Yankees made franchise history and MLB history when they turned their second triple play of the season. Here's a look:
The trouble started when Marcus Semien appeared to get frozen between third and home after Michael King was able to pounce on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s weak grounder to the third base side of the mound. Before throwing to DJ LeMahieu at first, King also appeared to give Semien a quick look, which may have contributed to the hesitation.
Meanwhile, Bo Bichette was hard on his way from second to third, and back at first LeMahieu noticed this developing situation. He flipped it to shortstop Gleyber Torres, and the rundown of Bichette began. Semien then opted to make his way toward the plate but didn't really commit to the act, and so the focus shifted to him. He got tagged out by Gio Urshela on the throw from Gary Sanchez, and then Urshela hustled the ball to Torres for tag play on Bichette, who tried to make it to third during the chaos. The out call on Bichette was upheld on review.
So, yes, that's the first 1-3-6-2-5-6 triple play in MLB history, and as Sarah Langs notes it's also the first time in franchise history that the Yankees have turned two triple plays in a single season. No team since the 2016 White Sox has turned three triple plays in a season. Coincidentally, the Yanks' first triple play of the season came on May 21 against the White Sox.
Obviously, that could've been a big inning for the Blue Jays, who came in having lost three in a row and having slipped back to .500. That didn't happen. It's a baseball chestnut that one should never make the first or third out at third base. The Blue Jays, though, in essence managed to make the first and third outs at third base all on the same play. Impressive, in a sense.
