Evan Longoria Accidentally Blindfolded Himself with His Helmet

Eyes on the ball, buddy.

Evan Longoria was hoisted by his own petard during Wednesday night’s matchup against the New York Yankees. The Tampa Bay Rays third baseman was up to bat when his helmet unexpectedly dipped over his face as a pitch came in. 

The helmet malfunction was noticed by Grant Brisbee of SB Nation, and the result was a strike for the Yankees' Phil Hughes.

It’s not apparent at first, but if you look closely, you can see Longoria’s bat hitting the back of his helmet and tipping the cap down. That makes for a low-percentage hit every time, and we can only respect his decision to back away from the pitch. 

A lesser man might’ve swung away—a decision that would’ve made for an amazing GIF no matter how you sliced it. Hitting the ball with a helmet over your eyes would make you look like the pitch whisperer.

On the other hand, missing the ball would make you look like this girl.

You never want to be that girl, and you also didn’t want to be in the New York Yankees dugout last night. 

Longoria’s helmet issue was but a momentary embarrassment in an otherwise exciting performance.

The former All-Star came back from battling flu-like symptoms earlier in the week and knocked out two home runs against the Yankees, bringing his total to 31 on the season. Tampa Bay beat New York, 8-3, thereby snuffing out the Yankees’ shot at making the postseason. 

It was the Cleveland Indians, however, who officially ended New York’s fast-fading dreams of October in the eighth inning by taking down the Chicago White Sox.

With that, the injury-riddled Yankees will watch the postseason for the first time since 2008, while the Rays edge closer to clinching an AL Wild Card berth. 

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