BREAKING

WATCH: 'El Mago' misplays grounder, somehow helps Cubs pull off magical double play


by - Senior Writer -

SAN DIEGO — The wizard of Wrigley Field makes magic happen even when he does not intend to. After misplaying a grounder in Sunday's contest between the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres, Cubs second baseman Javier "El Mago" Baez unintentionally sparked a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play.

On a ground ball hit right at Baez, the sure-handed infielder suffered a rare mistake when he bobbled the hit with a man on first and one out in the bottom of the seventh. Fortunately for Baez and the Cubs, the baseball rolled at the perfect angle toward shortstop Addison Russell.

Russell was already covering second base in preparation for the double play, and he corralled the ball and quickly turned two by stepping on the bag to out Eric Hosmer and throwing over to Anthony Rizzo at first base to out Christian Villanueva.

Despite his blunder, Baez was credited with an assist on the double play, perfectly epitomizing why is known far and wide as Major League Baseball's magician.

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