Minor league game delayed by unexpected animal

Animal invasions are nothing new to baseball fans. But one minor league game Saturday saw its game crashed by an unexpected creature.

The Single-A St. Lucie Mets held a 2-0 lead over the Bradenton Marauders in the top of the 2nd inning at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.

Mets first baseman Yohairo Cuevas was the first batter up against Marauders starter Khristian Curtis. Before the inning’s first at-bat was settled, play was stopped due to an animal on the field.

The broadcast announcers sounded unsure of what animal was on the grass. It took them a while to realize that it was a turtle causing the delay.

“Creature on the field. A squirrel or rodents, I don’t know. What do we have there? It’s a turtle!” said one announcer.

🚨 TURTLE DELAY 🚨 pic.twitter.com/PWAA9ZzFJa

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 11, 2024

The turtle showed some serious speed as players approached it in the outfield. Marauders reliever Magdiel Cotto eventually ran onto the field to pick the turtle up and bring it into the bullpen.

The turtle certainly flashed its 80-grade speed. Perhaps the turtle also has a wicked slider that the Marauders could test out in the bullpen. The fact that it even found its way onto the field is a testament to how special the turtle is.

The turtle delay even brought the home team some good luck. The Marauders came back to take a 3-2 lead a couple of innings later and won the contest 4-3.

The turtle delay arguably isn’t the most peculiar one this year. A Dodgers-Diamondbacks game last month might have had the weirdest delay in quite some time.