The Toronto Blue Jays made headlines recently for their decision to employ a five-infielder shift against the New York Yankees before ultimately giving up a walk-off hit. Many fans and analysts were left scratching their heads at the unconventional defensive alignment, but there was actually sound reasoning behind the Blue Jays’ strategy.

The shift, which saw the Blue Jays move all five infielders to the right side of the field, was designed to take away the Yankees’ hitter’s ability to pull the ball. By crowding the right side of the field, the Blue Jays were hoping to increase their chances of getting an out on a ground ball hit to that side of the infield.

In this particular situation, the Blue Jays were facing a left-handed hitter with a tendency to pull the ball. By shifting their infielders to the right side, they were essentially daring the hitter to try and go against his natural tendencies and hit the ball to the opposite field. This strategy has become increasingly popular in recent years as teams look for ways to gain a competitive edge on defense.

While the shift did not ultimately pay off for the Blue Jays in this instance, it is important to remember that baseball is a game of probabilities. The shift may not work every time, but over the course of a season, it can help a team save runs and win games.

In the end, the Blue Jays’ decision to use a five-infielder shift was a calculated risk that did not pan out. However, it is important to recognize that teams are constantly looking for new ways to gain an advantage on defense, and shifts like this one are just one example of how analytics and strategy are shaping the way baseball is played.