It didn't matter that the Mets were already up big early in the game, or that they squandered said lead and had to claw back to win in extras – the play executed by Javier Baez and Marcus Stroman in the third inning of Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader was going to be one for the record books.
If you missed it, well, what was looking like a tailor-made double play ball saw Jonathan Villar unable to handle Francisco Lindor's flip to start the play…and it ended up as a fielder's choice, and E6, and then a 4-1 putout of Juan Soto at third thanks to some heads up play by Javier Baez and Marcus Stroman.
"That was one of those in the moment plays," Stroman said after Game 1. "I kind of got stuck on the mound watching what I thought was a tailor-made double play ball and it got bobbled around. As Soto broke I thought for a second I could beat him, so I just took off, and Javy threw a perfect lead pass to me and I dove and got him. It was a special play, and I didn't realize how cool it was until I watched it back."
And while the initial botch wasn't his fault, Lindor definitely realized how I possibly saved the Mets what turned out to be a crucial run in the end.
"It was huge. A great play on both parts," Lindor said. "When I saw Baez sprinting past me I wondered where he was going because no one was at third base, and next thing I know, Stro is asking for the baseball. Stro is a wizard on the mound, and Baez, we all know El Mago can pull some crazy things out of his hat."
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