At Phillies-Mets MLB London Series, Rob McElhenney, Chase Utley and Bryce Harper team up for "first double play"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Phillies fans see your ceremonial first pitch and raise you one ceremonial first double play.
Ahead of Philadelphia's second game against the New York Mets in the 2024 MLB London Series, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star, local bar owner and certified Philly sports fan Rob McElhenney bucked baseball tradition.
After walking out to the mound Sunday morning, McElhenney appeared poised to throw his first pitch to former Phillies second baseman and World Series Champion Chase Utley.
But right after starting his windup, McElhenney's wife and fellow "Sunny" costar Kaitlin Olson ran out from the dugout, waved over, Utley and made a change of plans.
Rob McElhenney just couldn't choose between Bryce Harper and Chase Utley to catch his first pitch ... so he turned a double play with them instead 😂#LondonSeries pic.twitter.com/F3zcFAQyWn
— MLB (@MLB) June 9, 2024
"Kaitlin is signaling to the dugout. She's calling out Bryce Harper!" the announcer inside London Stadium exclaimed to the crowd.
With McElhenney at shortstop, Harper on first and Utley on second, Olson grounded a ball to her husband, who tossed it to Utley, who completed the play to Harper on first, no doubt securing the hypothetical out.
"Let's hear it for what looks like the first-ever ceremonial double play!" the announcer said to the crowd of nearly 54,000 fans.
The Phillies, who currently have the best record in baseball, walked out of Game 1 of the London Series Saturday with a 7-2 win over the NL East fourth-place Mets.
And while across the pond, the team says they're making the most of their time abroad on and off the field.
"I've actually enjoyed people not really realizing who I am. So being able to walk around just be kinda just another person out there has been great," Harper said Saturday.
"Media and stuff is very similar to the playoffs but I think just the overall feeling is a little different than say going into the NLCS or the World Series," Bryson Stott said. "But it's a ton of fun and we've had a blast so far."
The Phils head home after Sunday's game, but they won't be back in the City of Brotherly Love for long. Tuesday, June 11, kicks off a back-to-back away series, first in Boston against the Red Sox and then in Baltimore to take on the AL East second-place Orioles.