Michael Taylor goes 0 for 5 with 5 strikeouts then loses the game with an error, a breakdown
What Happened
Michael Taylor, the outfielder for the Washington Nationals, steps up to the plate for his first at-bat of the game. He faces an off-speed pitch and strikes out, marking the first of what will become a disastrous five strikeouts on the day. In his second and third at-bats, Taylor is unable to catch up to the fastballs and breaking balls thrown by the opposing pitcher, striking out again. As the game progresses, Taylor's struggles continue. In the fifth inning, he faces another fastball down the middle and swings through it, striking out for the third time. The umpire generously gives him the call on the next pitch, but Taylor is still unable to make contact, striking out for the fourth time. Heading into his final at-bat, Taylor is 0-for-4 with 4 strikeouts. Facing the Cubs' pitcher Javier Báez, he is once again overpowered by the fastballs, going down swinging for his fifth strikeout of the game. Despite his dismal offensive performance, Taylor's team holds a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning. With a runner on base and one out, Yasiel Puig hits a ground ball up the middle. Taylor charges the ball, attempting to make a play at the plate to keep the runner from scoring and preserve the lead. However, Taylor misses the ball, which rolls all the way to the wall, allowing Puig to race around the bases for a walk-off "Little League" home run. A dejected Taylor reflects on his tough day, saying, "It's just a tough day. 0 for 5, I can handle. When I do something like that error to cost the team the game, it's pretty tough." Despite the heartbreaking loss, Taylor is reminded that he has seen and hit one World Series pitch in his career, which he "fucking bombed for a homer," resulting in a nice championship ring. While Taylor's five-strikeout, game-losing performance will be remembered as one of the worst days in his baseball career, the resilience and perspective he displays in the aftermath show the true character of a professional athlete.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentWe got a breakdown that's just straight mean. Strike one on the off -speed. Michael
Taylor had maybe the worst game imaginable. That's the first strikeout. Not bad.
First at -bat, he's a defensive player. Second at -bat, get some fastball, get some
breaking ball, and then just get some high fastball, only 92. And now he's looking
like, okay, shit, going to be a rough day. Those girls get to their seats
just in time for the fifth inning. Curveball strike one. Fastball 94 right down the
middle, swing and a miss. Fastball right down the middle, 95, swing and a miss.
0 for 3, three strikeouts. Fastball right down the middle by this pitcher who I
never heard of. It's like a little sinker. Blue gives him that call. Same pitch.
Actually a dirty pitch. Another bat flip just dejected. 0 for 4, 4Ks. Now he's
facing Baez, and he just grooves two fastballs right down the middle. 98, so
fast, but like no movement right down the middle. 0 for 5, 5Ks. Michael Taylor's
thinking, this can't get any worse. And then his team is up
by one run in the bottom of the ninth, and there's a man on, and
there's one out, and a double play ends the game, and Puig hits one up
the middle, but it can't be stopped, but Michael Taylor's going to charge it. Oh,
my God. He's trying to charge it to keep the runner at third because that's
a tying run. He ends up missing it, goes all the way to the wall,
and Puig rounds the bases for the walk -off Little League home run,
and the worst game imaginable gets
worse for Michael Taylor. Just a brutal 0 for 5, and then like such a
simple error. Look at this. I mean, he's trying to charge it to come
up firing to stop the runner from going to third and keep him at second,
but instead what happened was he missed it, and the hitter scored the go -ahead
run. He said, It's just a tough day. 0 for 5, I can handle.
When I do something like that error to cost the team the game, it's pretty
tough. I think that's a great assessment. It was pretty tough, but we're going to
end it on a happy note. He's only seen one World Series pitch in his
life, and he fucking bombed it for a homer. So one for one with a
homer on the one pitch he saw also has a nice ring on his finger.
So there you go, Michael Taylor. Just remind everyone of that. But you also get
good claim on one of the worst days in baseball history. Congrats.