Chicago Cubs first baseman Trey Mancini suffered no errors in Sunday’s game in London against the St. Louis Cardinals, but his struggles at first base may have led manager David Ross to take him out of the game in the third inning.
Mancini, who entered the game as one of baseball’s worst defensive first basemen by many metrics, was taken out of the game for Cody Bellinger in the top of the third inning.
Late in the first inning, shortstop Dansby Swanson lined up a ground ball and kicked the ball through the diamond, but Mancini was unable to line it up cleanly, allowing Brandon Donovan to reach first base.
Swanson was assessed the error, but it was just the start of a tough day for Mancini.
In the second inning, Tommy Edman knocked a ground ball to Nico Hoerner at second base, but when Mancini tried to put the ball with his bare hands in the bag, he couldn’t catch, allowing Willson Contreras to score and the round to continue.
The play was ruled a hit for Edman, but it caused a cascade of problems for the Cubs, as Donovan made a pair of runs to tie the game at 4-4.
Mancini was taken out of the game in the top of the third, with Bellinger striking for him. Bellinger had left Saturday’s game early due to illness, but Ross decided to trade his first baseman early in the game.
Mancini has recorded negative 4 defensive points this season, according to FanGraphs, and has a negative 3.5 defensive points rating above average, one of the worst in the league at first base.
Baseball Reference has Mancini at a -1.0 defensive WAR, illustrating the struggles he has had at first base this season.
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