Friday night in the Bronx was one of those nights—where the scoreboard stings, the fans groan, and the rookie gets an earful. The Yankees dropped a 7-3 decision to the Braves, and while the bats didn’t boom and the bullpen didn’t shut the door, what’s got everybody buzzing is a moment that shouldn’t have even happened.
A Rookie Mistake That Stole the Spotlight
Enter Jorbit Vivas. The young third baseman—still new to the pinstripe pressure cooker—found himself smack in the middle of a base-running blunder that could’ve changed the entire inning. Picture this: top of the third, Yankees trailing 3-0, Cody Bellinger skies one deep to right. Vivas tags up from second. Here comes a prime chance to get within striking distance, with Aaron Judge looming on deck. Momentum shift? Not quite.
Instead of charging into third like a man on a mission, Vivas coasted. It wasn’t a jog, but it sure wasn’t a sprint. And then? No slide. Just… sort of a glide into the tag, while Ronald Acuña Jr. fired off a missile from right field that cut him down. That cannon of a throw deserves credit, no doubt—but man, if Vivas runs through the bag and slides? We might be having a different conversation.
Yankees Girardi and Kay Let It Rip
Yankees broadcasters Joe Girardi and Michael Kay didn’t mince words. They saw it live. They saw the lack of hustle. And they were not impressed. “Inexcusable,” said Girardi. “You just took the bat out of Aaron Judge’s hands,” added Kay. And if you know anything about Judge’s presence with runners in scoring position? That’s a golden opportunity vaporized in slow motion.
To his credit, Vivas stood up postgame, admitted fault, and gave props to Acuña’s throw. That’s what you want from a rookie: accountability. But let’s be real, base-running isn’t just about speed. It’s about instinct, awareness, and effort. And in that moment, the effort didn’t match the stakes.
Turning a Tough Lesson Into Growth
Now, does one play define a season? Of course not. But moments like these do stick. The Yankees are in a race where every run matters. Every chance to get the Judge at the plate with runners on is a potential game-changer. That’s why this moment feels so big—because it wasn’t just about a throw or a tag. It was about a team missing a beat that could’ve turned into a rhythm.
Here’s hoping Vivas learns fast. Because the Bronx faithful? They’ve got long memories… and short patience.
