All-Star players have a special ability to deliver a jaw-dropping moment on any given play and that’s exactly what Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez did on Saturday to seal the win.
Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Kevin Newman drilled a ball up the middle for what seemed certain to be a base hit. Suddenly there was Baez, making the perfect dive to take away a hit then making a glove flip to Addison Russell in a single motion to help turn the game-ending double play.
It would have been a remarkable play if Baez just kept the ball in the infield with the diving stop, but that wasn’t enough for him. He managed to execute the perfect glove flip to Russell and put him in position to get the out at second then throw to first for the final out.
Baez is just a remarkable player both offensively and defensively. A two-hit performance raised his batting average to .290 and Chicago’s star infielder is halfway through another phenomenal season.