Kansas City Royals star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.’s viral tag against the St. Louis Cardinals is gaining attention on social media, with fans and analysts sharing their opinions. During the second game of a three-game series at Busch Stadium, catcher Carter Jensen threw towards third base to try to tag the runner out.
With the third baseman off the bag, Witt Jr. rushed to cover the base, but Jensen’s relay throw was far off target. Witt extended his arm as if catching the ball and pretended to tag the runner, who was already safe on third, to prevent him from scoring. In reality, Witt never caught the ball, which was stopped in the outfield by the Royals’ left fielder.
Fans reacted to the viral sequence of play, with some exclaiming that it should have been called interference, while others deemed it an illegal play on Witt Jr.’s part, arguing that a fake tag cannot be used just to hold a runner on base.
“That should be called interference. Can’t hold a runner with a tag having no ball,” one fan commented.
“This fake tag by Bobby Witt Jr. to save a run HAS to be illegal right?” another fan commented.
“OBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. By holding the fake tag on him, he’s impeding the runner from advancing. That’s obstruction,” yet another fan commented.
Some fans also praised Witt Jr. for his quick thinking on the field and found the humorous element in the entire play sequence, in which the Cardinals’ 3B coach was loudly shouting to persuade the runner to score at home plate.
“Credit to Bobby Witt, but have to assume the runner is from a third world country,” one fan commented.
“This is so funny the 3rd base coach trying so hard to send him off, but he thought he had the ball the 3rd base coach was shouting out of his lungs,” another fan commented.
“That player is a strategist, look how easily he held third base, now the runner will be a joke,” yet another fan commented.
Bobby Witt Jr. Has Been the Glimmer of Hope for the Struggling Royals This Season
Witt Jr. has been a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak season for the Royals. Currently, they have a 19-27 record, placing them last in the AL Central division. They are eight games below .500 and 5.5 games behind the division leaders, the Cleveland Guardians. The team is on a six-game losing streak and has a 2-8 record over their last ten games.
Witt Jr. has been consistent in both aspects of the game and is currently maintaining a solid hitting line. He holds a .309 batting average, has hit seven home runs, driven in 23 RBIs, and has an .886 OPS over 46 games this season. Based on current trends, Witt Jr. is projected to reach 25 home runs and 81 RBIs this year.
For now, Kansas City will aim to win the series finale against the Cardinals on Sunday to avoid a back-to-back series sweep before kicking off a lengthy nine-game homestand at Kauffman Stadium.
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