Dunedin Blue Jays break Minor League record with 22 walks

The game started normally enough, with J.R. Freethy starting the game with a lead-off walk. Canadian Sam Shaw also walked with an empty first base thanks to a throwing error. Brock Tibbitts drove in a run with a two-out RBI single before Edward Duran walked. The first inning ended with a Tucker Toman groundout.

In fact, the Hammerheads walked just as much in the first inning as Yesavage gave up three walks in the bottom of the first.  After Manuel Beltre grounded out to lead-off the top of the second, Yhoangel Aponte and Braden Barry both walked, before they were driven in by Freethy. The next batter walked Shaw, who was scored by Yeuni Munoz. The next two batters flew out, giving the D-Jays six walks after two.

Everything changed in the top of the third. Toman reached on an error, reaching third and scored on a wild pitch. Beltre walked for the first time, and Aponte doubled him to third. Barry struck out, and then Freethy, Shaw, and Munoz all walked consecutively. Brock Tibbitts struck out, Duran was hit by a pitch, and Toman hit a bases-clearing triple. After three, the D-Jays walked 10 times.

Things came off the rails in the top of the fourth. After Aponte struck out, Barry hit a single before Freethy walked again. Shaw struck out, Munoz was hit by a pitch, and Tibbitts walked in a run. Then, Duran, Toman, and Beltre all walked with the bases loaded to make it a 16-2 game. After four, the D-Jays walked 15 times.

You’d think things would slow down as the teams settled in, right? Nope. Barry led off the top of the fifth with a walk, followed by Freethy earning his fourth walk. Shaw was hit by a pick, and Munoz drove in another run with a walk. Another walk, this time from Toman, gave them their 19th walk of the game.

For the first time in the game, the Hammerheads threw a clean inning, generating three consecutive groundouts. The D-Jays were back in the top of the seventh, as Shaw led off the inning with a walk, breaking the Florida State League record. Tibbitts walked to give the D-Jays 21 walks in this game. Toman then walked again for what was the final walk for the D-Jays.

But you see, the D-Jays earned their 23rd walk of this game in the top of the eighth. Aponte saw four consecutive balls, but for some reason, the umpire forgot how to count. He eventually struck out.

In my five years of covering the Blue Jays and their minor league teams, as well as my lifelong fandom of the sport, I’ve never seen a game as crazy as this. Freethy and Shaw each earned four walks, Toman earned three, Munoz, Tibbitts, Duran, Beltre, and Barry earned two, and Aponte earned one.

Minor League baseball, everyone. The D-Jays are back in action on Wednesday at 6:30 PM ET.