Ohtani: Why tag a runner when you can wave them off?

May 27th, 2022

ANAHEIM -- A funny thing happened on the way to first base for Blue Jays right fielder Raimel Tapia in the fourth inning of Thursday's game against the Angels at Angel Stadium.

Tapia hit a soft comebacker down the first-base line to two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who fielded the ball and stood in the first-base path to tag Tapia for the first out of the inning. But Tapia instead just stopped and immediately took off to his right toward Toronto's visiting dugout.

First-base umpire Jim Reynolds ruled Tapia out for leaving the basepath, and Ohtani had some fun with the play, using his glove to direct Tapia back toward the dugout. It was another light-hearted moment involving Ohtani, who struck out 10 over six innings and allowed five runs on six hits and a walk. He later left with back stiffness that he doesn't believe is "a big issue."