Royals pitcher Michael Wacha’s broken necklace led to the ejection of an A’s coach
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Wacha’s chain broke after Carlos Cortes had stepped into the batter’s box.
- Wacha removed the broken chain, placed it in his back pocket, and did not call timeout.
- Wacha then threw a 90.7 mph four‑seam fastball that resulted in a strike.
This wasn’t the hardest-thrown fastball of the season for Royals pitcher Michael Wacha, but it might have been the most impressive.
After getting the first two outs Wednesday in the first inning of the Royals’ 5-2 loss to the Athletics in West Sacramento, California, Wacha had a slight wardrobe malfunction.
Wacha felt his chain break after the A’s Carlos Cortes had stepped into the batter’s box. The pitch clock was continuing its relentless pursuit of zero, but Wacha didn’t call a timeout.
Instead, Wacha took off the necklace, stuffed it in the back pocket of his pants and delivered a 90.7 mph four-seam fastball for a strike.
It was an impressive move by Wacha, who seamlessly put the chain in his pocket and went into his pitching motion.
Ah, but one person didn’t like it: A’s hitting coach Chris Cron.
Home plate umpire John Libka got an earful from Cron, who apparently thought Cortes was waiting for a resolution to the broken chain and not the pitch from Wacha. In the end it worked out for Cortes, who drew a walk.
Cron, on the other hand, was ejected by Libka, who was in no mood to hear any complaints. But it was an impressive move by Wacha.
This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 9:18 AM.
