Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Miguel Vargas committed an outfield no-no in his team’s Friday contest against the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. He was able to atone for his error just one inning later.
The Dodgers trailed the Red Sox 1-0 with the bases empty in the top of the 7th. Red Sox first baseman Dominic Smith led off the inning with a deep fly ball to left-center field.
Vargas and center fielder Andy Pages both had a beat on the ball and tried to wave each other off. Pages eventually yielded to Vargas, who muffed the catch. Smith was awarded a double on the play, but the ball was clearly catchable.
Coaches everywhere will show this as a "what not to do when playing left field" tutorial pic.twitter.com/2QUlKqpuTh
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 20, 2024
It’s an unspoken rule that the corner outfielders make way for the center fielder in those types of situations. The Dodgers were able to escape the inning unscathed, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts still spoke to Vargas about the incident once the half-inning was over.
Vargas didn’t take long to make it up to his manager. The Dodgers left fielder made an incredible throw for an inning-ending double play just one inning later.
With one out in the top of the 8th, Red Sox outfielder Tyler O’Neill got on base with a single. When Rafael Devers followed with a fly ball to left field, O’Neill drifted well off the first-base bag. Vargas punished him by unleashing his cannon of a right arm to get O’Neill out at first.
Miguel Vargas turns a 7-3 double play with a cannon of a throw. 💪 pic.twitter.com/h2uYImg7As
— MLB (@MLB) July 20, 2024
The Dodgers challenged the call. But a replay confirmed that Vargas indeed gunned down O’Neill to get a rare 7-3 double play.
The awesome defensive assist may have helped wake up the Dodgers’ offense. The home team loaded the bases in the bottom of the 8th for All-Star slugger Freddie Freeman. The Dodgers first baseman hit a grand slam to give his team a 4-1 lead and eventually the win.
Freddie Freeman flips this game on its head with an 8th-inning grand slam! pic.twitter.com/uoMq3PJRgM
— MLB (@MLB) July 20, 2024
O’Neill may have caught a tough break on Friday after getting doubled up by Vargas. But O’Neill’s out was far from the unluckiest play of the day, which belonged to San Francisco Giants infielder Brett Wisely.
