WATCH: Baltimore Orioles second baseman Rougned Odor produces unbelievable, Matrix-esque slide to avoid tag
Is that Neo? Or Max Payne? Is that Quicksilver? No! It’s Rougned Odor entering bullet-time momentarily against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.
The Baltimore Orioles second baseman hit a blooper for what appeared to be a simple base hit. Blue Jays center fielder George Springer was slow in getting to the ball, which led Odor to believe that he could convert the play into a double.
What happened next was something straight out of The Matrix.
This might be one of the best slides to avoid a tag I’ve ever seen https://t.co/jPP6cNq3U4
"This might be one of the best slides to avoid a tag I’ve ever seen" - Ben Palmer
The slide was a thing of beauty in real-time itself, but slow motion made it all the more spectacular. It wasn’t only the slide but also the way Rougned Odor adjusted his body.
His game-reading was exceptional as he knew exactly where Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette’s tag was headed. It’s one of those things that you can watch over and over again.
The Orioles went on to win 9-6, which kept their play-off dreams very much alive. The game, however, was fraught with controversy.
Rougned Odor and the Orioles thrive in chaos, but Blue Jays have the last laugh
The benches cleared midway through the seventh after Orioles reliever Bryan Baker made hand gestures to the Blue Jays dugout after striking out Matt Chapman.
Benches clear between the O's and Jays after Bryan Baker stares down the Toronto dugout https://t.co/xMHklV3wAN
As the melee unfolded, Baker was walked off the field by Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman. It didn’t end there, as the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez were ready for a proper confrontation.
Both had to be held back by the Orioles’ Jorge Mateo. Rougned Odor was involved too. He was trying to play peacemaker and help restore some order.
Baker spent three years under the Blue Jays umbrella before being claimed off waivers by the Orioles last year. Speaking after the game, he said:
"It was nothing towards their team or anything. It was just kind of letting him know that I know that he’s talking. There’s really no issue with the team or anything like that. I don’t think that there’s any bad blood or anything like that. I was just letting him know that really.”
Following all the chaos, it was the Blue Jays who had the last laugh after beating the Orioles 4-1 earlier today to claim and close the series. The result now puts Baltimore 4.5 games behind, a severe dent in their postseason dreams.
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