Caleb Durbin managed to do exactly what you do not want to do as the go-ahead run.
The Boston Red Sox played Saturday against the division rival Tampa Bay Rays. In the top of the ninth inning at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. with the score tied 1-1, the Boston infielder Durbin hit a one-out double to represent the winning run.
In the middle of the next at-bat by teammate Jarren Duran however, Durbin committed an inexplicable blunder — he decided to make a break for third base. Durbin was then easily thrown out for the second out of the inning.
Caleb Durbin is caught trying to steal 3rd and Junior Caminero is FIRED UP
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) September 19, 2026
We are still tied in the 9th!pic.twitter.com/wrriTXW1yj
Making matters even worse for Durbin was that Duran proceeded to smack a triple in his at-bat (but was stranded at third after Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded out to end the half-inning). While Duran’s triple would have allowed Durbin to waltz home if he had simply stayed put, the baserunning error left the game tied and opened the door for the Rays to win the game in the bottom of the ninth inning on a walkoff RBI single by Richie Palacios.
WALK-OFF RICH pic.twitter.com/59N3W9B8wS
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 19, 2026
It is hard to tell exactly what Durbin was thinking there. He was already in scoring position and also had a left-handed batter up at the plate (meaning that the catcher had an obstructed throw to third base). Though Durbin has stolen 19 bases so far this season, that was simply a completely unnecessary risk for him to take in that situation.
On the bright side, the 84-71 Red Sox do look to be locked into the second AL Wild Card spot at this point, which would have them open up the playoffs against the rival New York Yankees. But these are the types of moments that explain why Boston is a Wild Card team to begin with (similar to the time that they cost themselves four runs by botching a single challenge).
