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Every time you go to the stadium, you might see something you’ve never seen before. And so it was on Monday at Guaranteed Rate Field, where fans saw the first 8-5 triple play in MLB history. The Minnesota Twins made the first triple play of their kind against the homegrown Chicago White Sox (GameTracker), although it would be more accurate to say the White Sox ran into the triple play.
Here’s the video. AJ Pollock lifted a well-hit fly ball with first- and second-place runners to Byron Buxton in midfield, and Yoan Moncada and Adam Engel both had a little mental lapse on bases after the catch.
Though the Triple Play is the headliner, take a moment to appreciate Buxton’s catch. It wasn’t an easy game. According to Statcast, Pollock’s engine had an 82 percent hit probability based on launch angle and exit velocity. Buxton is just so good in midfield.
MLB.com and the SABR database confirm this it is, in fact, the first 8-5 triple play in baseball history. By my unofficial tally, this is the 27th triple play started by a midfielder, and the first since Angel Pagan, the former New York Mets midfielder, launched an 8-2-6-3 triple play with one in 2010 started a tight catch against the Washington Nationals.
The Twins have made a habit of spinning triple plays in recent years. Monday was their fourth since 2019. No team has more. The White Sox, meanwhile, have made triple plays in consecutive seasons after failing to make a single from 2011-20.
This is the third triple play this season. The Texas Rangers turned on a 3-3-6 triple play against the Seattle Mariners on April 20 and the Nationals turned on a 5-4-3 triple play against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 20.