Rob Brantly had a rough moment in right field for the Blue Jays. What looked like a simple line drive turned into a double after he botched the play. The ball got past him as he oddly had his positioning card in his mouth. After the play, Brantly shrugged it off, saying he was standing in the right spot. The card, which tells outfielders where to position themselves based on the hitter, showed he had moved slightly between at-bats. But he didn’t adjust until the pitch was already on the way, which meant he was late reacting.
It’s unclear whether the card in his mouth blocked his vision, but the delay in getting set likely didn’t help. The video breaks it down with overlays showing his positioning before and during the play. It’s a mix of small things—possibly obscured vision, late movement, and a bit of bad luck—that let the ball get through. The Blue Jays gave up a double on what should’ve been a routine single and handed the other team a scoring chance. Whether it was the card or the timing, Brantly didn’t look ready when it counted.