Royals Turn Rare 5-6-4-3 Double Play

First time this type of double play has happened in MLB in over 30 years.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 2:29am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting breaking down a baseball double play into sharp, overlapping geometric planes of bright royal blue, gold, and crimson.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.