Aaron Judge was doubled off first and called out, but then he was safe after video review, but then he was about to be called out on appeal, so he was thrown trying to steal second, look, just take our word for it

With Aaron Judge on first after a walk, Gary Sanchez flew out to short right field.

Judge thought the ball had a chance to drop, so ran to second base and made the turn toward third.

He was wrong. Josh Reddick made the catch, and Judge had to scramble back to first.

Reddick lollipopped the throw, however, which allowed Judge to make the play close.

But not close enough. First-base umpire Jerry Meals called Judge out.

However! Upon review, it turned out that Judge slid in before the both the tag and Yuli Gurriel’s foot touching the base.

However! Upon review, it turned out that Judge had failed to touch second base again while running back to first, which meant he was out.

However! The Astros still needed to appeal the play in the conventional manner. That is, the pitcher needed to step off the mound and throw the ball to second, where the waiting umpire would give his ruling.

However! Yankees manager Joe Girardi knew that Judge was out before play could resume, so he told him to take off and try to steal second base when the appeal was being made. Hey, it couldn’t hurt.

Judge’s eyes narrowed. The wind was at his back, friends. And when Lance McCullers stepped out, the speedy behemoth lurched forward and sprinted toward his destiny.

McCullers lollipopped that throw, and Judge allllllmost made it.

Judge did not make it, and he was tagged out.

It was very, very funny. The end.

They say that when you watch a baseball game, you always see something you’ve never seen before. That’s an old, hoary cliche, and it’s not quite true. Plays like this make you realize just how freaky baseball can be, and how delightful it is when it starts improvising like Ornette Coleman falling down an escalator.

Judge would have made everyone’s day easier if he had been slower getting back to first base. He made everyone’s day better because he wasn’t, though, and for that, we’re grateful.