Friday’s matchup between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers featured a bit of an awkward moment when an in-game interview with Dodgers third baseman Kiké Hernández went horribly wrong for the veteran utility man.
Hernández was mic’d up in the top of the second inning, speaking with Apple TV broadcasters Wayne Randazzo and Dontrelle Willis about numerous different topics.
With one out in the inning, Willis asked Hernández about the perception of the Dodgers being a “tight-knit ballclub”.
“You guys are a very close-knit ballclub,” said Willis. “Where does that come from?”
Hernández didn’t answer the question right away, preparing for the 1-2 offering from Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres.
The ball was then hit down the third base line by Torres at Hernández, who proceeded to bobble the ground ball and bounce a throw into first baseman Freddie Freeman. Hustling down the line, Torres was able to beat out the throw, resulting in an error for Hernández.
A mic'd up error on National Television is tough pic.twitter.com/yWKDyQ5fY7
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) June 7, 2024
It wasn’t the most egregious error from Hernández. Even with a clean gather on the ground ball, it could have been a tough play to beat the hustling Torres to first. But still, you have to wonder whether being mic’d up took his focus away from the game in that moment.
When the next Yankees batter came to the plate, Hernández asked Willis to repeat the question, forgetting it moments after his error.
“What was the previous question,” said Hernández. “Before I made that error?”
Willis hilariously responded by highlighting the error, saying that he didn’t want to ask him the question again in fear that he might “boot” the ball if it was hit his way again.
“I don’t want to ask it again,” responded Willis. “Because I don’t want you to boot the ball again, to be honest with you. I’ll take that E for you, big dog.”
Luckily for Hernández and the Dodgers, this mistake wouldn’t end up playing a big factor in the end result. The Dodgers would go on to secure a 2-1 victory in extra innings, ending the Yankees’ nine-game winning streak in the process.
