The Twins used 4 outfielders like an intramural softball team to deny Jose Ramirez a double

Third baseman Jose Ramirez is having another superb season for the Cleveland Indians, and probably closing in on a second consecutive top-three finish in American League MVP voting. So it’s understandable that the Minnesota Twins would try unconventional methods to try to get Ramirez out, and on Thursday it worked!

In the first inning with two outs and nobody on, the Twins shifted shortstop Ehire Adrianza, but he didn’t move to another infield spot. Adrianza went all the way out to left field, giving Minnesota four outfielders against Ramirez, a switch-hitter who was batting left-handed against right-hander Jake Odirizzi on the mound.

Ramirez entered Thursday hitting .328/.444/.625 with five home runs and four doubles in 18 games against Minnesota, but that wasn’t too far off his overall slash line on the season, hitting .292/.402/.604.

“We talked about it before the series if we get in the right situation give it a shot. We’re just trying to gather what players will do with it or if they’ll take advantage of the bunt, those types of things,” Twins manager Paul Moltior said, per MLB.com. .You could tell by his expression, he had to take it all in for a second and figure out what he wanted to do.”

The reaction Ramirez had when he saw the shift was priceless.

As Ramirez does, he absolutely ripped the ball in the first against Odirizzi, lining a ball down the right field line that under most circumstances would have been a double. But thanks to the Twins’ positioning, Max Kepler was already playing very close to the foul line anyway and didn’t have to move far to track it in.

The shift worked!

Even though the Twins were able to corral Ramirez in that one at-bat Thursday, Indians manager Terry Francona doesn’t think that alignment will be used all that often against his star third baseman.

“If teams do that, Josey’s going to bunt a double,” Francona said, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer. ”Josey’ll end up on second one way or another.”

Ramirez stole his 29th base of the season later in Thursday’s game to give him 29, tied with Dee Gordon of the Mariners for American League lead. His 37 home runs are just two behind Khris Davis, putting Ramirez within striking distance of becoming the first major leaguer to lead their lead in both home runs and steals in the same season in 86 years.