So Here’s How the Padres Wound Up with an Inning-Ending Double Play Despite Two Ugly Injuries

That was a pretty confusing play, with multiple Padres players on the ground injured, a run that appeared to score, and a mystery two outs being called before any clarity was given. Allow me to explain.

With one out in the inning and the bases loaded, P.J. Higgins hit a bloop fly ball to left field that seemed destined to fall between left fielder Tommy Pham and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim. Unfortunately, neither player stopped tracking down the ball to make way for the other, and they collided in ugly fashion.

Because no one could tell if the ball was caught or not, Patrick Wisdom tagged up from third base (evidently scoring) while Rafael Ortega and Eric Sogard stayed at first and second respectively.

Ha-Seong Kim managed to throw that ball in before hitting the deck. And he's still down in pain. Tommy Pham has been down the entire time. pic.twitter.com/OLMqzI2q7j

— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) June 2, 2021

However, Ha-Seong Kim SOMEHOW managed to conjure up enough adrenaline to throw the ball – which was NOT actually caught (it popped out of the mitt) – back into the infield for a force out at third base and second base. That’s an inning-ending, force-out double play, which means Wisdom’s run did not count. Dang.

But while that is a disappointing and unlucky outcome, I do hope both Kim and Pham are okay. They stayed down for a long time, each holding their head, and were helped off the field. It was a scary moment. And they’re both out of the game.

The Padres are onto their third shortstop:

Both Kim and Pham are out of the game for the Padres. With Tatis also out, Cronenworth moves to SS as part of the defensive changes here in the 5th.

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) June 2, 2021