This was an example of live television impacting the game.
Dodgers third baseman Kiké Hernandez was doing an interview during Los Angeles’ 2-1 victory over the Yankees and committed an error as he was talking to announcers Wayne Randazzo and Dontrelle Willis on the Apple TV+ telecast.
It was the second inning and Gleyber Torres was up at bat.
Willis asked Hernandez: “You guys are [a] very close-knit ball club. Where does that come from?”
At that moment, Torres hit a ground ball to Hernandez at third.
Willis then told him, he could answer after the play.
Hernandez was unable to handle it cleanly, and Torres beat out his throw.
It hit his bare right hand and bounced off his groin.
After the game, Hernandez said the interview may have impacted him a little, but the ball took a weird hop.
He would still do an interview if he was asked to do so in the future.
“No, because we’re getting paid,” he said. “I like money.”
Players receive a $10,000 stipend for doing these interviews during a regular season game and $15,000 in the playoffs.
Hernandez didn’t let the error impact the interview.
He asked what was the question before the misplay.
Willis let him off the hook: “I don’t want to ask it again, because I don’t want you to boot the ball again, to be honest with you. I’ll take that ‘E’ for you, big dog.”
Torres ended up getting stranded on second base and the Yankees didn’t score until the 11th inning of the Dodgers’ victory in The Bronx.
