MLB player makes defensive gaffe while mic’d up

While on-field interviews can potentially give viewers unique insights into the game, they can also lead to some awkward moments. One such awkward moment happened during Friday’s game between the Houston Astros and New York Mets.

Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña was mic’d up in the bottom of the second inning, talking with Wayne Randazzo and Xavier Scruggs, who were calling the Apple+ broadcast. New York’s Jeff McNeil hit what appeared to be a routine popup. But as the saying goes, sometimes there’s nothing routine about a routine popup.

Peña and third baseman Alex Bregman both ran over to the ball. And while either could have easily made the play, there was a breakdown in communication. With that, the ball landed harmlessly between the two fielders, leading to several seconds of awkward silence.

In the latest in-game interview with a mic’d up player…

Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña talks with AppleTV+ while a Mets routine pop-up lands between him and Alex Bregman in the infield. ⚾️📺🎙️😬 pic.twitter.com/GBrzanENqW

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 29, 2024

We saw something similar on a recent Apple TV+ broadcast when Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Kiké Hernández committed an error while mic’d up. On Friday, there was no error charged to either Peña or Bregman, at least not immediately. Bregman was credited for an infield single, though that’s the kind of play that will often be changed.

It ended up being nothing more than a relatively minor inconvenience for the Astros, as McNeil was subsequently picked off and caught stealing.

[Photo Credit: Apple TV+]