Baseball is perhaps the only sport where an act of self-preservation can lead to some really cool shit. Astros pitcher Collin McHugh became the latest example of this phenomenon on Tuesday against the Athletics.
In the bottom of the second, A’s first baseman Kendrys Morales slapped McHugh’s fastball right back towards the pitcher’s head. In a moment of pure reflex, the pitcher leaned back and contorted his body to protect his teeth from getting smashed. McHugh’s dodge gave the ball a straight path to Houston’s Carlos Correa, who turned the pitcher’s scare into a double play.
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Personally, I think he should have lifted his hand towards the batter and stopped the ball mid-flight. That would’ve been cooler.