TORONTO — Eddie Rosario's reputation for disruption has traveled around the league. It paid off with a couple of runs on Monday.
With runners on first and second and one out in the third inning, Brian Dozier hit a double-play ball to shortstop. But Dozier hustled up the line, and when Jays second baseman Devon Travis didn't make the pivot quickly, Dozier beat the throw, extending the inning.
That brought up Logan Morrison, and the infield shifted far to the right — except for third baseman Yangervis Solarte, who remained within 15 feet of third base rather than assume a position near deep short, as he normally would. That's because the runner at third was Rosario, who has made it a habit of jockeying up and down the line to distract the pitcher. A similar play by Dozier forced a balk against Tampa Bay last week.
With their attention focused on Rosario, the Jays didn't even throw to second base when Dozier stole it. And then Morrison hit a ground ball toward the shortstop position — but there was no fielder to stop it from rolling to center field and driving two runs home.
"I was trying to hit the ball up the middle," said Morrison, who later beat the Jays' shift by hitting a ball over it, and into the center field seats. "It doesn't always happen when you're hitting. I don't have a joystick out there. But it worked out this time."
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When Eduardo Escobar came out of the game in the seventh inning, the rumors were triggered. When Brian Dozier joined him an inning later, they doubled.
Obviously the Twins have traded their infielders, and are removing them at the behest of their new team, right?
