ARLINGTON, TX- "Baseball is getting weird."
Those were the words used by Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre to describe what he witnessed on Opening Day.
You'd think Beltre, who turns 39 in a week, has seen it all during his 20-year career. But, the Houston Astros showed him something new on Thursday afternoon at Globe Life Park.
The Astros used an unconventional four-outfielder defense against Rangers first baseman Joey Gallo, by moving third baseman Alex Bregman to left-left field.
Houston put the shift on for the power-hitting, right-field hitting Gallo.
How'd it work?
Gallo went 0-4 with a strikeout.
"Very innovative to put four out there," said Rangers manager Jeff Banister, following the 4-1 season-opening loss.
"I wasn't planning on coming in Opening Day and laying bunts down," Gallo admitted. "I don't want to always come out of my game to do that. It's not that simple to lay one down."
"I felt pretty good at the plate, so I didn't want to throw an at-bat away. Then if I bunt and get out, they're like, 'What the hell you bunting for?' So, it's a lose-lose situation unless I get a hit."
The Rangers host the Astros in the second game of a four-game series on Friday at 7:05 p.m.
In the meantime, Gallo may want to brush up on his bunting.
