ESPN Revisits Baez’s Chaotic Baserunning Play Five Years On
A five-year anniversary feature by ESPN examines the sequence that saw Javier Baez score and advance to second base through a series of errors by the Pittsburgh Pirates, drawing reactions from players, umpires, and broadcasters.
Five years after the event, ESPN has published a detailed retrospective on a chaotic baserunning sequence involving Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The article, released on 27 May 2026, revisits the incident from 27 May 2021 at PNC Park, featuring interviews with more than a dozen players, coaches, umpires, and broadcasters who witnessed the play. The piece underscores how the sequence, which resulted in a run for the Cubs, has endured as a recurring topic of conversation and viral content over the half-decade period.
The incident occurred in the top of the third inning with two outs and Willson Contreras on second base. Baez hit a ground ball to Pirates third baseman Erik Gonzales, who threw to first baseman Will Craig. The throw pulled Craig off the bag, but rather than advancing to first, Baez retreated toward home plate, drawing Craig with him. This maneuver allowed Contreras to score from second base. Baez then ran to the uncovered first base before continuing to second base after a series of errant throws by the Pirates. The Cubs won the game 5-3.
ESPN’s report highlights the immediate reactions of the dugouts and umpires, describing the scene as "chaos" and "disbelief." Pirates players Erik Gonzales, Will Craig, Tyler Anderson, Michael Perez, Adam Frazier, and Ben Gamel, along with Cubs players Willson Contreras, Anthony Rizzo, and Ian Happ, provided commentary on the play. Cubs manager David Ross and umpires Gabe Morales and Ryan Additon also shared their perspectives. Broadcasters Joe Block, Boog Sciambi, and Jim Deshaies discussed the execution and the challenges of covering the event.
The broadcast team faced unique logistical hurdles during the game. The Cubs' TV crew was working remotely from Chicago due to COVID-19 restrictions, meaning the broadcast team could not see the play live from the stadium. Play-by-play man Boog Sciambi and analyst Jim Deshaies described the experience as bizarre, noting they were calling the game off a monitor and could not see everything unfold in real time. Sciambi recalled his reaction when Contreras slid home, noting the runner seemed to come "out of nowhere."
Participants noted that the play has become a recurring topic of conversation and viral content over the five-year period. Several players, including Frazier and Anderson, mentioned receiving texts and seeing the play resurface online. The retrospective captures the disbelief of the Pirates' dugout and the amusement of the Cubs', with Rizzo describing Baez as a "wild man" and Block calling it a "circus play." The article serves as a comprehensive record of the event, preserving the accounts of those involved in what many described as a once-in-a-lifetime sequence.
