KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 19: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals runs to first after hitting an RBI double in the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Kauffman Stadium on May 19, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli demonstrated remarkable bravery in a critical moment.
During Monday’s game against the Kansas City Royals, the Twins found themselves in a tough spot. They held a precarious 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth inning with two outs and runners positioned on second and third base.
Although the Twins had begun the inning with a comfortable 6-1 advantage, reliever Cole Sands yielded a run on three hits before being replaced by closer Jhoan Duran. Unfortunately, Duran allowed three additional runs to cross the plate (two inherited from Sands) before the inning concluded.
Royals’ standout shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. stepped up to bat next. With first base unoccupied, the conventional approach would have been to intentionally walk Witt and face the following hitter, Vinnie Pasquantino, instead.
However, Baldelli opted for a daring move, choosing to let Duran pitch to Witt. This bold decision proved successful as Witt grounded out on the very first pitch, sealing the game-ending out.
At just 23 years old, Witt has emerged as one of the premier hitters in baseball this season, boasting an impressive .307 batting average along with nine home runs and 36 RBIs. With the Royals exceeding expectations with a surprising 34-21 start to the season, Witt finds himself among the frontrunners for the early AL MVP race.
Baldelli’s decision remained unfazed by Witt’s impressive stats, potentially playing the odds in his favor. Despite Witt’s strong performance this season, he had only gone 1-for-5 against Duran in his career, suggesting that Duran might have had a more favorable matchup against him compared to the left-handed hitting Pasquantino. Furthermore, with Duran delivering a low splitter to Witt, the Twins likely weren’t planning to give him anything favorable to hit regardless of the matchup.
Regardless of the rationale behind Baldelli’s decision, the outcome favored Minnesota, and ultimately, that’s what counts. However, in an era where teams occasionally opt to intentionally walk elite hitters with the bases loaded, Baldelli’s bold move stands out. It takes a significant amount of confidence and nerve to make such a call in a high-pressure situation like that.
