SEATTLE — Mitch Keller was in the process of returning from a stint on the COVID-19 injured list and actually wasn’t at PNC Park on May 27, 2021, the day Will Craig inexplicably chased Cubs shortstop Javy Baez back to home plate.
It was a blunder that would forever change Craig’s life, and Keller — as he was driving to the ballpark for testing — followed along in shock while the game played in the background on his phone.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Keller said Saturday at T-Mobile Park. “Coming up with Will, he was a tremendous first baseman. He was always a great teammate and an awesome guy.
“It just stinks that one play like that can … not saying it ended his career, but I feel like it kinda did. It just stinks to happen to such a good dude.”
The story of Will Craig two years later is a tragic one, sure. Craig played just five more MLB games and hit .177 before the Pirates designated him for assignment on June 4, 2021.
After the Pirates released Craig, in part to allow him to pursue other opportunities, the Johnston City, Tenn. native signed in South Korea later that season, logging 61 games for the Kiwoom Heroes before calling it quits.
Ironically, Craig became a coach this spring, taking a student position at his alma mater, Wake Forest. (More on that shortly.)
“There are times where it hits me, and I’m like, ‘Did that really happen?’ ” Craig told the Post-Gazette in July 2021. “It will hang over my head for the rest of my career. But I want to give myself an opportunity to break away from it for a little bit.”
Perhaps the craziest part for the 2016 Pirates' first-round draft pick is that he really was a solid defensive first baseman coming up through the minors, a point echoed by Keller and others playing in Pittsburgh at that time.
Moved by the Pirates across the diamond from third, Craig actually won a minor league Gold Glove in 2019, the same year he hit 23 home runs and finished with 78 RBIs for Triple-A Indianapolis.
Because of what was essentially a momentary lapse of concentration — when Craig thought he needed to tag Baez after handling a wide throw from third baseman Erik Gonzalez instead of just stepping on the base to end the inning — the play will never go away.
“I feel bad for him today,” Keller said, speaking of the two-year anniversary. “He’s probably getting worn out on it. That stinks. He shouldn’t have to deal with that.”
Craig remains popular with his former Pirates teammates. Keller saw him this summer in Nashville when the pitcher appeared at a convention to speak on his experience using Rapsodo.
Bryan Reynolds exchanged texts with Craig when the latter was in town for Wake Forest’s series at Pitt a little more than a month ago.
“It’s gotta be pretty annoying to see that and deal with it all the time,” Reynolds said. “That wasn’t a representation of him as a player, especially defensively.”
David Bednar didn’t know Craig as well, having only joined the organization that winter, but like others emphasized the need for everyone to move on, trying to absolve Craig of blame as quickly as possible.
“I remember getting a few texts like, ‘What’s going on with that play?’ ” Bednar said, recalling that time. “But there was never anything internally. With us, it was kind of forgotten about. Just like anything else, shit happens. Move on to the next day.”
That’s what Craig has seemingly tried to do with his current job.
Craig became the sixth-ever first-round pick out of Wake Forest and hit .347 with 42 doubles, 37 home runs, 160 RBIs and 108 walks over three seasons. He was also an accomplished pitcher, with a team-high nine saves and a 3.54 ERA in his final season.
Craig’s major league line will likely forever read like this: 18 games, .217 average, one home run, three RBIs and one unbelievable mistake. One of Craig’s friends hope won’t continue to define him, as he looks to formally re-enter the baseball world.
“He was a good coach for players in the clubhouse,’ Keller said. “He would give people little tidbits. You could always tell that’s what he was going to do. He was always really good at that stuff. I’m not surprised. I’m sure he’ll either be a manager one day or a really good hitting coach.”
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: May 27, 2023, 7:38 p.m.
Updated: May 27, 2023, 8:02 p.m.
