Overview
- With the bases loaded at Wrigley Field, Ke'Bryan Hayes stepped on third to record a force on Thursday, which removed the force at home.
- Tyler Stephenson then caught the throw at the plate but did not tag Ian Happ, who slid in safely because an out required a tag after third base was touched.
- The lapse opened a big Cubs inning that outlets described differently, with CBS Sports calling it six runs and ClutchPoints calling it seven.
- Chicago went on to win 8–3 to complete a four-game sweep of Cincinnati in a game that swung after the failed tag.
- A clip shared by Jomboy Media on X spread quickly, and analysts highlighted that Stephenson is an experienced catcher, framing the mistake as a mental error and part of a wider fundamentals issue.