WATCH: Manny Machado outsmarts MLB, exposes Infield Fly Rule flaw

Every once in a while, a veteran pulls a move so slick it makes the rulebook blush. Manny Machado pulled off a MLB rulebook heist on Saturday night in Cincinnati.

With a runner on first and no outs, Reds first baseman Spencer Steer skied a lazy popup to the left side of the infield. Manny Machado looked like he was settling under it for a routine catch… but instead, he let it drop onto the grass.

It wasn’t a blunder. It was 4D chess. Machado fielded the ball cleanly on the bounce, fired to second base, and erased Elly De La Cruz from the game.

Manny Machado Exposes MLB Infield Fly Rule

Manny Machado lets the ball drop and gets Elly De La Cruz off the bases pic.twitter.com/vxr28WXyLK

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 28, 2025

The move was completely legal. The infield fly rule doesn’t apply unless there are runners on first and second, or the bases are loaded. When there’s only a runner on first, it’s open season. Any infielder can let the ball drop, get the easy force at second, and live to tell the tale.

That’s exactly what Manny Machado did. It was equal parts savvy and savage.

Why it matters:

• Elly De La Cruz is a game-changer with his legs. Removing him from the bases is like unplugging a PlayStation during a speedrun.
• Manny Machado weaponized the rulebook, turning a harmless popup into a high-leverage defensive play.
• MLB got pantsed — the current infield fly rule failed to account for this kind of exploitation.

It’s just smart baseball but don’t be surprised if Rob Manfred and his rulebook committee are already scribbling in the margins. When you’ve got a loophole that lets a team neutralize the fastest player in baseball with a lob wedge of a popup, you’ve got a problem.

For now, chalk one up for the vets.

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