SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A bizarre sequence of events unfolded Sunday at Scottsdale Stadium, culminating in a rare triple play against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants. The unusual play, which involved a fire alarm, a baserunning blunder, and quick thinking by the Giants’ defense, highlighted the unpredictable nature of exhibition baseball.
The chaos began as Cubs utilityman Matt Shaw led off the first inning. Suddenly, an emergency fire alarm blared throughout the ballpark, prompting an announcement instructing fans to evacuate. Despite the disruption, plate umpire Bruce Dreckman decided to continue the game, allowing Giants starter Robbie Ray to pitch to Shaw. According to reports, the alarm was triggered by someone smoking in a restroom.
After Shaw was walked, Alex Bregman as well drew a walk, putting two runners on base with no outs. Then came the sequence that would define the inning. Seiya Suzuki followed with a flare that dropped in for a single, but Shaw, seemingly caught between running and retreating, hesitated on the basepaths. As Shaw momentarily froze, second baseman Luis Arraez fired home, and first baseman Rafael Devers cut off the throw, spotting Suzuki attempting to advance to second. Devers easily threw Suzuki out, with shortstop Willy Adames applying the tag.
The confusion didn’t end there. Bregman, having advanced to third, began to retreat as Adames charged toward him. Bregman stopped short, and Adames tagged him out. With Shaw still seemingly unaware of his situation, he casually began to remove his batting gloves and helmet. Adames quickly flipped the ball to third baseman Matt Chapman, who tagged Shaw to complete the improbable 4-3-6-5 triple play.
Bregman, who admitted he’d never been part of a triple play on offense, took some responsibility for the miscommunication. “I think next time we gain two guys on a base you just stay on the base until we fully understand,” he said. “I knew that since I was the trail runner I was out, but I’ve got to do a better job of staying on the base and just clarifying that. We’ll learn from it.”
A Spring Training Anomaly
Cubs starter Colin Rea admitted he was initially confused by the fire alarm and the subsequent triple play. “I was confused by the fire drill, and then there were three outs, and I’m like ‘I don’t know what just happened, but here we go,’” Rea said. “I know that the guys were just being aggressive on the basepaths and that stuff happens.”
Triple plays are rare occurrences in baseball. According to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), there have been 800 triple plays in major league games since 1876. SABR notes that exhibition games are not included in that total, making Sunday’s play a unique, if unconventional, moment.
Cubs and Giants: A History of the Unusual
The bizarre play is just the latest chapter in a history of strange occurrences between the Cubs and Giants. The teams famously faced off in a tiebreaker game for the National League Wild Card in 1998 at Wrigley Field, a game remembered for the presence of a giant Harry Caray balloon hovering over the outfield. The Chicago Tribune detailed the event in 2003, highlighting the unusual atmosphere of the game.
Beyond the Diamond: Olympic Excitement
The day’s events began with a boost of national pride for the Cubs players, who gathered to watch the USA men’s hockey team defeat Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Milan. Bregman described the team’s excitement, saying, “We were all fired up, we were going crazy in the clubhouse when they scored.”
Cubs manager Craig Counsell reflected on watching the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” as a child, noting the shared passion and intensity between the Olympics and baseball. “It’s similar, right?” Counsell said. “It’s remarkably much the same. One, you see the intensity of the game, and then you see the joy after winning, and the disappointment after losing. That’s why you do these things.”
Bregman, who will play for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic alongside Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and pitcher Matthew Boyd, believes the WBC can capture a similar level of patriotic fervor. “Let’s do it, let’s go win,” he said. “USA, baby.”
The Cubs ultimately lost the game 4-2 after a ninth-inning rally was thwarted by a double play. Despite the loss, the day provided a memorable, and undeniably strange, start to Cactus League play. The Cubs’ new marketing slogan for 2026, “THIS,” as seen on their X account, seems particularly apt after Sunday’s events. The Giants, meanwhile, were happy to highlight the play on their own X account.
As spring training continues, the Cubs will look to refine their baserunning and build momentum toward the regular season. Their next scheduled game is Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners, where they’ll aim for a more conventional performance.
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