On a crisp Monday, the New York Yankees were playing against the San Diego Padres. The energy in the Bronx ballpark was filled with excitement. The home team was leading, 2-0, and the game was moving smoothly. And then a moment on the field left everyone dubious. A fielding error from the Yanks! Who was at fault? The Pitcher? The Fielders? Or was it that unsaid rule?
The game was in control, and then Carlos Rodon was on the mound. He had thrown 56 pitches, and 44% of them had hit the batter. The count was full at 3-2. On the next pitch, that moment came; it wasn’t a home run or a tight line drive, but a sky-high pop-up. Eyes were glued in the moment, and then a collective gasp of “Wait, did you see that?”
It was a moment when Padres hitter Xander Bogaerts hit the ball, and it went into the air. Was it high? No! It was a regular play that could have easily been caught, but it landed straight on the ground between three infielders. Pitcher Carlos Rodon, shortstop Oswald Peraza, and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. The reactions? Forget fans for a moment; even commentators were shocked at the sight! And then Bogaerts safely reached first base.
Bryan Hoch shared the whole incident on X. And since then, fans haven’t taken a seat back. They have lashed out at Rodon! Why only him? Well, he was there, just standing and watching. And why didn’t he try? An unsaid rule.
Whoops pic.twitter.com/83efyL7Ggn
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) May 6, 2025
In baseball, pitchers usually avoid catching pop-ups, according to an unwritten rule. As a result of the high and uneven mound, it is unsafe to backpedal and follow a ball. Rooted in safety issues, this custom reflects greater injury risks when a pitcher tries such plays. Given their location and experience, infielders are taught to manage certain circumstances instead.
Although it’s not the first time the Yankees have found them in the dropped fly ball situation. Remember their spring training game? On February 23, 2025, against the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez dropped a fly ball in the sun. A typical spring game difficulty, the intense Florida sun caused a normal fly ball off Colt Keith’s bat to become uncatchable in the third inning.
But the Yankees’ Monday game was a different story. Carlos Rodon’s choice not to try the catch fits this pattern. The problem was not him, but his failure to leave the area, blocking Peraza’s route to the ball. This ignorance and lack of communication ended up in disappointment.
Though the scoreboard remained the same for that time, it has become a topic of discussion among fans.
Fans react: Who was at fault in the New York Yankees game?
When something strange happens in baseball, you don’t hear it from the media or in press conferences. But you will also listen to it from a place where motions and passions are high—fans on social media! This particular incident was no exception either. The aftermath? Even fans are not getting it.
“I blame everyone that made it an unwritten rule that pitchers weren’t supposed to field balls because Rodón could have gotten that and he even said afterwards that if that happens again, he will. Also, Peraza shouldn’t have called off Goldy, he had it otherwise.” The rule was there to ensure the pitcher’s safety, but when play like this occurs, does it make sense? If a pitcher can catch it carefully, then why not? Plus, it also highlights the importance of clear communication among the players.
A clear verdict was given: “That’s on the pitcher. Get out of the way, dude.” Looking at the replays, it makes sense. Instead of gazing at the ball, Rondon could have moved and made way for the infielders. But he chose to stand there. Well, even a small adjustment could’ve kept things otherwise.
A disappointment with a blend of sarcasm. “Now that is the Yankees we all know and love.” Are we seeing it for the first time? No, it has happened before. At that time, the Florida sun was to blame. But now? A squad with the most expectations somehow underdelivers in the oddest ways! These fans know it by heart.
A confusion echoed with many who witnessed it. “So the pitcher just watches it fall” All of that indicates a confused mind state of fans seeing a professional athlete apparently stand still when a catchable ball falls close by. An indirect dig at Rodon? Maybe! After all, they are MLB fans!
A one-word unfiltered emotion, “Ridiculous.” Playing on an international stage and errors like this are not something that any of us usually expect. And that too from the 27-time winners! The annoyance is not only due to the mistake but also how absolutely avoidable it was.
Well, errors happen everywhere! And you can count baseball there, too. But this one didn’t happen due to a difficult bounce, a poor read, or a complicated spin. It might have occurred from a misunderstanding or fear of violating a “rule” no one recorded. Now, we can only hope that these don’t happen next time onwards and the Bronx Bombers don’t take things this casually, leading to a 3-4 loss!
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