MLB Twitter takes aim at Aledmys Diaz for trying to cheat his way to base.

Houston Astros utility player Aledmys Diaz tried to lean on a hit by pitch, but was called back to the plate by umpire James Hoye.

Late in the tenth inning, the Astros needed runners hoping for one final comeback. Yet Aledmys Diaz went against the grain in his attempt.

With David Robertson on the bump, Diaz relied on a breaking pitch, hoping to convince the referee he had been hit by the ball. Although Diaz made contact with the ball, he initiated that contact. This, of course, is not allowed, and he was called back to the plate to complete his innings.

Still facing a 3-0 disadvantage, Robertson knocked Diaz out of his shoes on the next pitch, then took him down for the final play of the game.

Why did Aledmys Diaz not benefit from BPH?

According to MLB rules, the batter must try to get out of the way of the pitch. Aledmys Diaz did not.

“A hit-by-pitch does not count as a hit, but it does count as time on base for on-base percentage. Some hitters – especially those who stand very close to the plate – have a knack for earning HBPs, which obviously can come in handy since the goal of any hitter is to reach a base. But set pieces can also lead to injury, as most pitches are thrown at 80 mph or more. According to the rules, a batter must attempt to avoid being hit by a pitch in order to receive first base. »

Diaz tried to build on the throw rather than walk away from it.

Aledmys Diaz torched on Twitter for leaning on the throw.

Aledmys Diaz was forced to earn his place on base the hard way, and he failed to do so. With a sub-0.100 strike for the postseason, Diaz couldn’t be confident in his ability to put in the tying and game-winning runs, which were already on base at that point. Relying on Robertson’s pitch, he only passed the line to the next batter.

Luckily for my sanity, umpire James Hoye grabbed that sneaky, pathetic technique to get to base.

Diaz was put in a tough spot, and rather than trying to measure up, he took what he thought was the easy way out.

Even Astros fans should be upset by Diaz’s action at a critical point in Game 1. Yes, Diaz has been terrible this postseason, but Houston fans would have preferred to see what he could do with the bat in his hands. Instead, he intentionally ducked into the plate in hopes of providing what amounts to a useless base runner.