If not for the heroic effort of Oscar Mercado on arguably the best defensive play of the entire 2019 MLB season, the Cleveland Indians would probably be heading to Minnesota off a 3-1 series loss to the White Sox.
Mercado bailed out Nick Wittgren from what would’ve been at least a game-tying, two-run double in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s contest, and instead the Tribe will walk away with a 2-2 split. Wittgren shouldn’t have even been in that situation to begin with, but that’s neither here nor there.
If the series had been closely contested by both the Indians and White Sox for four straight days, a 2-2 split would be disappointing but acceptable.