Bobby Witt Jr.’s explanation about viral defensive play was just what you’d expect
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Bobby Witt Jr. pretended to have the ball while tagging Ivan Herrera to save a run.
- The play followed an errant Elías Díaz throw that sailed into left field in St. Louis.
- J.J. Picollo said the Royals teach holding tags and called Witt's move intentional.
Perhaps it’s time we start calling Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. a six-tool player.
Baseball fans are familiar with the five tools that make up elite players: hitting for average, speed on the base paths, fielding prowess, hitting for power and elite arm strength.
Witt has all of those qualities, but as we saw Saturday (and throughout his career), he also has a high baseball IQ. We see it with some of the insane slides Witt makes while trying to avoid a tag.
And Witt showed his smarts as a defensive player during the Royals’ game Saturday in St. Louis. Chances are you saw the video of Witt pretending to have the ball in his glove as he tagged Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera. It came after Royals catcher Elías Díaz’s errant throw to third sailed into left field.
Herrera stayed at third base (despite Cardinals coach Ron Warner imploring Herrera to run) and Witt’s play saved a run. A clip of that moment was shared on social media and was viewed more than 5 million times.
“Just instincts,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said of the play. “We can talk about holding a tag all we want, certain players do it, certain players don’t, but that was very intentional, you know, almost so intentional you thought he might have given it away, but he did a great job. It was awesome. He saved a run, and that’s good baseball. And we need more of that.”
I asked Witt about the play, and his reaction was what you’d expect because he is not one for fanfare or bragging.
“It’s just kind of just trying to prevent runs,” Witt said, “and so it just kind of happens.”
That’s a typical low-key response from Witt, who leads baseball with a 3.3 WAR.
Picollo said the Royals tell their infielders to hold a tag on a baserunner, because sometimes a player will come off the bag. This was a twist on that.
“Yeah, we teach it, especially in today’s world with the replay,” the KC GM said. “We’re always teaching guys to hold tags, but there he faked like he had the ball and held the tag.
“So runners, I think, are used to people keeping their glove on them, thinking they’re going to come off the base, so they’re not going to get off the base. And he held him a really long time. Yeah, it was a great play.”
This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 11:48 AM.
