Jason Vargas Literally Tried to Pick off DJ LeMahieu 10 Times in 1 Inning
By Michael Luciano
If I had mentioned that an unnamed MLB team tried to pick off a runner 10 times in a single inning, most would assume that it was the New York Mets who tried to pull off the absurdly repetitive nonsense.
That assumption was proven correct in Game 2 of the Subway Series at Citi Field, as Mets starter Jason Vargas tried to pick off Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu 10 times in one inning. You read that right. 10 times.
Jason Vargas made 10 pickoff throws to first with LeMahieu there. LeMahieu has four steals this year. #Yankees #Mets
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 4, 2019
LeMahieu can run a little bit, but this isn't exactly Rickey Henderson over there. LeMahieu has four steals on the season and 79 in his nine-year career, with 23 of them coming in one season.
For some reason, Vargas was more worried about LeMahieu than the batters at the plate. Maybe that's why he got chased early.
What in tarnation did DJ LeMahieu do to get under Jason Vargas’ skin so badly? Tell him he’d see him tomorrow?
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) July 4, 2019
While Vargas was clearly intent on showing how good his pickoff move to first is in this game, the Yankees proved to be too good for him and the Mets on Wednesday night.