A Boston Red Socks star narrowly escaped injury on Wednesday after getting struck by a flying baseball bat against the New York Yankees.
The Yankees defeated the Red Sox yesterday to level the series at 1-1 ahead of the decider tonight.
Nate Eaton got hit in the on-deck circle by Carlos Narvaez’s bat after Narvaez let go of it on his strikeout[/caption]
Eaton gingery got up and flexed his arm but was able to continue[/caption]
Nate Eaton was lucky to escape the game without injury.
He got hit in the on-deck circle by a rogue bat during the 8th inning.
Eaton’s teammate, Carlos Narvaez, let go of the bat on his follow-through, and it almost hit the 28-year-old.
Videos showed him trying to dive out of the way of the bat as it clipped him.
He spent much of his time in the outfield gingerly flexing his arm, as if trying to overcome a minor injury.
He was able to continue.
However, many fans have been blaming Eaton for their side’s loss in yesterday’s grudge match.
In the top of the seventh, Eaton had an opportunity to score, but failed to gamble.
Masataka Yoshida’s grounder looked destined for the middle of the infield, but Chisholm came flying in on a full-extension dive to snare it.
He didn’t have time to fire a perfect throw down the line, though.
And when it arrived on a bounce, first baseman Ben Rice couldn’t handle it cleanly.
Eaton, meanwhile, was already drifting back toward third.
He took a couple of quick jab steps but never fully committed to sprinting home, even though it seemed he might have made it safely.
Fans have taken to X to criticize the star.
One fan said, “Nate Eaton may have cost the Red Sox the game. Shaking my head!”
Another commented, “Nate Eaton, you gotta score on that.
“I don’t want to hear about his elite speed ever again if you don’t use it in the most important moments.”
But some fans did defend him, saying, “Nate Eaton did absolutely nothing wrong on that play.”
Another remarked, “Lots of dumb takes about the Nate Eaton play today as if Duran didn’t drop a ball that hit him right in the glove and Rafaela didn’t pop up a bunt that was in the other batter’s box.”
The Yankees host the Red Sox again today in what is a must-win game for each side.
