Hoerner throws between his legs to retire speedy Salazar
Hoerner throws between his legs to retire speedy Salazar
Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner made a between-the-legs throw to first base to retire Houston Astros catcher César Salazar on a bunt attempt in the fifth inning of a 3-0 Cubs loss at Wrigley Field on Saturday, May 22, 2026.
With his momentum carrying him toward home plate after fielding Salazar’s bunt with his bare hand, Hoerner dragged his right leg behind him to create a throwing lane and delivered the ball through his legs to first baseman Michael Busch, who caught it to complete the out. Salazar, noted in the game account as a swift runner, gave Hoerner little margin for a conventional throw. Hoerner, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner at second base, converted the play in a single fluid motion.
The sequence drew comparisons to two widely remembered plays: pitcher Bartolo Colon’s behind-the-back flip to retire Miami Marlins first baseman Justin Bour on a dribbler down the first-base line, and pitcher Mark Buehrle’s glove-flip through his legs after a comebacker ricocheted off his foot into foul territory. Both plays entered baseball’s highlight canon largely because improvisation under physical constraint produced a clean out.
Despite the play, the Cubs fell to 29-23 on the season while Houston improved to 22-31. The two clubs conclude their three-game Wrigley Field series on Sunday at 2:20 p.m. ET, with Chicago seeking to avoid a sweep.
