The Phillies took care of business on Tuesday night, topping the Red Sox 4-1. But if you were tuned in before first pitch, you caught a moment that had even the broadcast team doing a double-take—and social media couldn’t get enough of it.
As the pregame coverage wrapped up, NBC Sports Philadelphia host Michael Barkann was setting the scene, predicting a strong showing from the Phillies. Ruben Amaro Jr., his broadcast partner and a familiar face for Philadelphia fans, was quick to chime in with why he liked the Phillies’ chances: Christopher Sanchez was taking the mound. Except, in the flurry of live TV, Amaro didn’t quite say “mound,” “bump,” or even the classic “hill.” Instead, he let slip a different four-letter word—one you definitely don’t hear on broadcasts.
As Amaro caught himself and quickly corrected to “on the bump… on the hill,” you could practically see the shock on his colleagues’ faces as the show cut to commercial. Analyst Ricky Bottalico had just finished saying, “I think Fittsy is in trouble,” when Amaro’s flub landed, adding another layer to a memorable pregame segment.
Of course, it didn’t take long for the clip to make its way around social media. Fans were quick with the jokes. “He is sitting with HR as we speak,” one person wrote. Another chimed in, “Hahaha, Ruben!” There were plenty of questions about whether players ever actually refer to the pitcher’s mound that way—short answer: they don’t. “Brain fart for the ages,” another fan called it, summing up the candid moment.
Meanwhile, on the field, the Phillies cruised to another victory, putting themselves in position to sweep the Red Sox. But for fans who love the unscripted sides of baseball, Amaro’s slip was the play they couldn’t stop talking about—a reminder that, even in a game with so much history, there’s always room for the unexpected.
