If you were watching the Texas Rangers game against the Padres on Sunday โ their final game before the all-star break โ you saw something you very well might never see again.
Padres center fielder Will Venable stepped to the plate in the top of the second inning and hit a sharp grounder past a diving Rougned Odor. The ball glance off Odor's glove, slowing its roll a bit, but it trickled out into right field.
As Venable was gunnin' it around the bases, Odor was chasing the ball out to right field. You'd expect right fielder Shin-Soo Choo to charge the ball, as well, in case he can get there before Odor. But for whatever reason, Choo didn't do that.
Instead, the ball rolled slowly out toward Choo and was eventually chased down by Odor. Late in play, Choo began going toward the ball, but Odor beat him there. In the meantime, Venable was able to get to third base. It was officially scored a triple โ the first one this dude's ever seen on a sharp grounder to second base.
But let's not beat around the bush. Choo committed a big-time mental error on the play, and that eventually led to Venable scoring in the second to give the Padres a 1-0 lead in a game they eventually won 2-1.
To add insult to injury, Choo went 0-for-4 with a strikeout and once again left runners in scoring position, which has been a big problem for him lately.
It was a rough day at the office for a guy who hasn't had many good ones lately. You hope the break will help him recharge, but at this point, it doesn't seem likely he'll just automatically turn things around.