MLB/ Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi embarrassed after colliding with A’s opponent chasing foul pop

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

June 10,声 が キモ い 2024 at 12:19 JST

• Share
• Tweet list

• Print

Oakland Athletics first baseman Tyler Soderstrom, left, reacts after colliding with Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, right, while trying to catch a ball in foul territory hit by Davis Schneider during the 10th inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., on June 9. (AP Photo)

OAKLAND, Calif.--Even on a day when he wasn’t pitching, Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi ended up right in the middle of the action.

Not in a way he wanted, though.

Kikuchi cost his team an out by bolting from the dugout and colliding with an opponent on a bizarre and wild play in the 10th inning of Sunday’s game against Oakland.

With the Blue Jays leading 6-3 in the top of the 10th, Davis Schneider lofted a popup into foul territory near Toronto’s dugout on the first-base side at the Coliseum. Blue Jays players watching from in front of the bench scattered as Athletics first baseman Tyler Soderstrom pursued the ball.

Kikuchi, attempting to get out of the way quickly, ran toward the field and crashed right into Soderstrom. Both players were knocked down as the ball fell to the ground.

An incredulous Soderstrom held out both hands after putting his cap back on, and Kikuchi held out his hand as if to apologize.

The umpires got together and ruled Schneider out due to obstruction on a red-faced Kikuchi, the second out of the inning.

“Obviously, I was embarrassed out there,” Kikuchi said through a translator. “It’s probably going viral right now. ... I feel bad and I want to apologize.”

Toronto manager John Schneider conceded Soderstrom probably would have caught the ball.

“I think it kind of landed right where they collided, but no ill intent by any means with Yusei trying to get in the way,” Schneider said. “He’s trying to allow him to make a play, so you call obstruction and then the batter’s out. Probably the right call. I’m just glad no one was hurt.”

The Blue Jays defeated the A’s 6-4 in 10 innings.

“I was just running for the ball,” Soderstrom said afterward. “Obviously, a lot of foul territory here. Just trying to make a play on the ball and kind of last second, tried to make a move to my left, and there was Kikuchi.”

The Coliseum is the only major league stadium that doesn’t have railings in front of its dugouts.

“I kind of realized last minute that the dugout in Oakland doesn’t have a fence,” Kikuchi said. “I just realized a little too late there. ... I just wanted to create a little hole and hide inside it because I was a little embarrassed.”

The teams shouted back and forth after the play, but cooler heads prevailed and the teams remained in their dugouts.

“I think he was just trying to really get out of the way, so he didn’t get hit with the foul ball, and inadvertently kind of laid his shoulder into Tyler,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “Thankful that Tyler wasn’t hurt on the play. The umpires got together and got the call right.”

• ·困るほど愛してくる年下男子とのハピネスラブコメ「十九川くんが困らせてくる！」
• ·中野の土曜注目馬【中京１１Ｒ・シリウスＳ】
• ·最後で最強の挑戦者・伊沢拓司氏が全問正解で３００万円獲得…日テレ「小学５年生より賢いの？」有終の美
• ·【阪神】岡田采配ピタリ　８回１死一塁で中野拓夢が犠打→森下翔太が同点打
• ·パイロットフィルムの映画祭が12月に渋谷で、パイロット版「童夢」など20作上映
• ·玉木の土曜注目馬【中京１０Ｒ・高山Ｓ】
• ·吉田の土曜注目馬【中京１１Ｒ・シリウスＳ】
• ·元Ｊｕｉｃｅ＝Ｊｕｉｃｅ・宮本佳林、４年ぶりの写真集を３０日に発売「全身全霊をかけて臨みました」
• ·獣人が腹ペコ少女のため人間用の料理に挑戦「ケモ耳少女の幸せごはん」1巻（試し読みあり）
• ·【阪神】佐藤輝明、１６号ソロも空砲「勝てなかったのが一番。切り替えてできることを」今季８度目の猛打賞
• ·【阪神】大山悠輔、取り返しのつかない痛恨失策を犯してしまい「すみませんでした。本当に申し訳ない」
• ·【中日】終盤に意地見せるも及ばず　連勝は４で止まるも立浪監督「ゲームを分からなくした１点は非常に大きかった」
• ·石田スイ「超人X」×秋山黄色、コラボ楽曲を単行本11巻発売日に配信リリース（コメントあり）
• ·新潟、アウェーで川崎に１―５大敗で３連敗…松橋力蔵監督「ただただ本当に悔しい」１４位に後退
• ·西山の土曜注目馬【中山１１Ｒ・秋風Ｓ】
• ·【阪神】佐藤輝明が反撃の一発　右中間へ３戦ぶりの１６号ソロ