Trevor Bauer completely unraveled in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Royals. It started with a bloop single from Alex Gordon. Then a routine pop-up got lost in the sun by center fielder Oscar Mercado. A close 3-2 pitch didn’t go Bauer’s way, loading the bases with no outs. Things got worse when a weak infield jam shot dropped in front of the plate for an RBI single. Another flare into no-man’s land tied the game.
Bauer finally got a strikeout, but the next grounder up the middle barely got past his glove. It could have been a double play. Instead, two more runs scored. In total disbelief and frustration, Bauer turned around and chucked the ball over the center field wall, launching it well beyond the 410-foot sign. Manager Terry Francona stormed out, clearly furious. Bauer said it was his bad, but Francona wasted no time pulling him from the game.
It was a total meltdown, both on the field and mentally. Bauer’s emotional outburst summed up a nightmare inning. What could’ve been a manageable jam turned into a disaster, and his reaction made it worse.