No award currently exists for Slide of the Year, but if one did, Mickey Moniak would have to be a top contender after bending time and space during the Rockies’ 2-0 loss to the Padres on Thursday.
Following a single in the sixth inning, Moniak broke for second base. San Diego catcher Freddy Fermin’s throw beat Moniak to the base, but the outfielder channeled Neo from “The Matrix” as he twisted and looped himself around Luis Arraez’s tag, somehow keeping his right foot on the bag while tumbling to the ground. Moniak was at first ruled to be out, but he gave a Dikembe Mutombo-esque finger wag and the call was correctly reversed after a challenge.
Moniak, the first overall Draft pick in 2016 by the Phillies, has had a solid season at the plate in his first campaign for the Rockies, batting .262 in 123 games while setting career highs in homers (19), RBIs (57) and triples (8). And as we saw on Thursday, he adds plenty of extra value with his wizardry on the basepaths.
