This is why baseball players have to run the bases — even after hitting a homer.
Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes went deep off Los Angeles Dodgers starter Walker Buehler in the first inning of Tuesday night’s game in Pittsburgh, but the home run that went just inside the right-field foul pole was overturned after the Dodgers manager Dave Roberts challenged it because Hayes didn’t touch first base.
The Dodgers were deemed correct and the umpire called him out after a short video review, as it clearly showed that the 24-year-old Hayes, who was running hard out of the batter’s box, didn’t touch first base following the shot to right field.
“Obviously, Ke’ got caught watching the ball,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “It’s one of those things that Ke’ thought he caught the back corner of (the bag), and he didn’t. If he even thinks he misses it, he has to go back and touch it.”
Pirates’Ke’Bryan Hayes appeared to hit a home run against the Dodgers, but was called out after review when it was discovered he didn’t touch first base. @Jomboy Media/TwitterThe Pirates did not make Hayes available to reporters following the game.
Hayes — the son of 14-year big leaguer Charlie Hayes — hit .376 with five homers in 24 games last season and entered 2021 as a heavy favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year. He sprained his left wrist in Pittsburgh’s second game and missed two months, finally returning to action last week.
Hayes wasn’t the only top prospect with a homer trot miscue Tuesday. Kansas City Royals minor leaguer Bobby Witt Jr., the club’s top prospect, was called out after an umpire ruled he missed home plate finishing out a homer for Double-A Northwest Arkansas. It was Witt’s second homer of the game.
This was just another tough break for a Pirates team who ended up losing 5-3 to the Dodgers and are firmly entrenched in the NL Central cellar with a 23-36 record.
— with AP
