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The Royals’ rare and impressive 5-6-4-3 double play is deconstructed into a dynamic, cubist-inspired illustration.Kansas City Today
The Kansas City Royals pulled off an incredibly rare 5-6-4-3 double play during their game against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night. This specific sequence of fielder touches to record two outs hasn’t been seen in Major League Baseball since 1995.
Why it matters
Double plays are an exciting and momentum-shifting part of baseball, but a 5-6-4-3 double play is an exceptionally uncommon occurrence that showcases the incredible athleticism and quick thinking of the Royals’ infielders.
The details
In the fourth inning, Guardians batter Rhys Hoskins hit a hard grounder that was deflected by Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia. The ball bounced to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who threw to second baseman Jonathan India for the first out. India then threw to first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino to complete the double play.
The 5-6-4-3 double play happened in the fourth inning of the Royals-Guardians game on April 6, 2026.
The players
Maikel Garcia
The Royals’ third baseman who initially fielded the grounder that led to the rare double play.
Bobby Witt Jr.
The Royals’ shortstop who received the throw from Garcia and made the relay throw to second base.
Jonathan India
The Royals’ second baseman who caught the throw from Witt Jr. and made the turn to first base to complete the double play.
Vinnie Pasquantino
The Royals’ first baseman who received the throw from India to record the final out of the double play.
Rhys Hoskins
The Guardians batter whose ground ball led to the rare double play.
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What they’re saying
“That’s not your average double play. You don’t see that every day.”
— Kansas City Royals, Twitter account
The takeaway
The Royals’ impressive defensive play to turn this exceptionally rare 5-6-4-3 double play is a testament to their infielders’ athleticism, awareness, and ability to execute under pressure. It’s the kind of highlight-reel moment that baseball fans love to see and will remember for years to come.