Mike Trout had a priceless reaction upon seeing his Los Angeles Angels execute a surprising strategy on Friday night.
Trout’s Angels were trailing the Texas Rangers 3-2 with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fourth inning. Rather than give Corey Seager a chance to blow the game open with a grand slam, Angels manager Joe Maddon decided to issue an intentional walk.
Yes, Maddon gave Seager the Barry Bonds treatment, guaranteeing Texas at least a run.
TV cameras captured Trout’s reaction to the strategy, and it was great. The Angels center fielder reacted with surprise and scanned the bases to double check that he was seeing things correctly.
Joe Maddon walked Corey Seager with the bases loaded. It is impossible to watch Mike Trout's reaction just once. He realizes what is happening, then makes sure that the bases were in fact loaded. Looks so baffled. pic.twitter.com/PMOG8YUyjl
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) April 16, 2022
Yes, Mike, you did see things correctly.
The Rangers added two more runs that inning, one on a sac fly and the other on a balk, to go up 6-2. So Maddon’s strategy didn’t seem to be of great benefit.
Despite the move, the Angels won the game 9-6 thanks in part to 2-run home runs from Shohei Ohtani and Jared Walsh. Trout probably would prefer not to see such a move happen again.
