PHOENIX — Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker’s quest for a 30/30 season ended on Sunday in an enigmatic fashion only befitting his team’s befuddling regular season.
The All-Star outfielder appeared to hit an inside-the-park home run during Houston’s 8-1 win against the Diamondbacks, but four different official scoring decisions finally deemed it a triple, denying Tucker entrance into an exclusive fraternity.
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No Astro has struck 30 home runs and stolen 30 bases since Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell did it in both 1997 and 1999. Tucker finished last season with 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He entered Sunday’s season finale sitting on 29 home runs and 30 stolen bases.
To start the fifth inning, Tucker struck a 309-foot missile toward fill-in right fielder Jake McCarthy. The baseball exited his bat at 104.2 mph but, according to Baseball Savant, would not have been a traditional home run in any of baseball’s 30 ballparks.
McCarthy started on Sunday in place of presumptive National League Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll, who received a day off as part of Arizona’s hangover lineup following its postseason clinch party on Saturday.
Initially, McCarthy seemed to misjudge how hard Tucker hit the baseball. He took four steps in, then watched it sail over his head and bounce around the warning track.
“When I saw it get over his head (I was thinking home run). I knew I was going to get the triple out of it,” said Tucker, who finished the season with an American League-high 112 RBIs. “Rounding second I was like, ‘I’m going to at least try it.’ It worked out.”
Tucker reached third base before the relay throw reached shortstop Jordan Lawlar. Tucker raced home when Lawlar reacted with no urgency and started running toward the infield with the baseball.
Tucker made it home standing up. Lawlar’s throw did not reach the catcher, either. No one dropped the baseball or made an obvious error. Chase Field’s official scorer, Jack Magruder, initially deemed that Tucker tripled and scored on an error on McCarthy. A few minutes later, Magruder changed his call to a triple and a fielder’s choice.
Two innings later, Magruder announced that — after consulting with the Elias Sports Bureau — Tucker would be awarded a home run. In his announcement, Magruder cited Major League Baseball Rule 9.12a, which states, in part, that “slow handling of the ball that does not involve mechanical misplay shall not be construed as an error.”
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Twenty minutes later, after more consultation with the Elias Sports Bureau, the call was changed back to a triple and a fielder’s choice. In making this final announcement, Magruder used rule 9.04c, which reads, “the official scorer’s judgment must determine whether a run batted in shall be credited for a run that scores when a fielder holds the ball or throws to a wrong base.
Ordinarily, if the runner keeps going, the official scorer should credit a run batted in; if the runner stops and takes off again when the runner notices the misplay, the official scorer should credit the run as scored on a fielder’s choice.”
Kyle Tucker no longer has a home run. It remains a triple. This is the fourth official scoring change of this thing. Incredible.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 1, 2023
Though he relished the team’s American League West title and subsequent celebration, Tucker did seem confused afterward in the Astros’ clubhouse. He said the team’s iPads still showed he hit a home run.
If the ruling remained a triple, Tucker said he planned to petition the ruling in hopes of being awarded a home run and reaching the coveted milestone.
(Photo of Tucker rounding third: Chris Coduto / Getty Images)