The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped their rubber match against the Philadelphia Phillies, but it was not without controversy as a blown call led to a five-run inning.
Alec Bohm started the Phillies off with a double in the sixth inning as the Dodgers led 4-3. Brandon Marsh tried to sacrifice bunt, but it was fielded by Kiké Hernández and thrown to Miguel Rojas, who was covering third base.
Both Rojas and the ball beat Bohm to the bag, and he was clearly out at third. However, third base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt ruled that Rojas had obstructed Bohm from reaching the base safely, citing one of the newer MLB rules designed to keep baserunners safe.
Despite Rojas giving Bohm a clear lane to the bag and not obstructing the runner, Wendelstedt called him safe at third. Both Rojas and Dave Roberts argued the call, but it was not reviewable and led to the Dodgers manager being tossed from a game for the first time this season.
“As I looked at the replay, he missed the call,” Roberts said. “This might be the first time I’ve ever said that. It was an egregious missed call. Their job is hard. That changed the game.
“When you’re playing baseball and you are an infielder on the move, trying to field a ball coming to you, and you have an oncoming base runner, you still have to secure the baseball, know that the runner is still coming toward third base, and then you got to put a tag. It’s a tag play.
“So as I saw the replay, Miggy fielded the baseball about a foot in front of the bag, two feet in front of the bag, and did give Bohm a lane, because his legs were spread wide with the glove making the tag.
“The spirit of the rule was to deter infielders from blocking the bag, not giving a base runner a lane or a spot toward a bag and potentially hurting the base runner. And so this play, again, he’s on the move, he fields the ball, his legs are spread wide. So the lane is in between his legs and he makes a tag.
“With that, again, it’s fast. It needs to be reviewable. That play changed the complexion of the game. And he got it wrong, that’s just a fact. And again, like I said, umpiring is hard, they do a great job. Tonight, that play affected the game.”
Although Roberts made his case to Wendelstedt, it’s one that’s not reviewable under any circumstances. “It should be reviewable,” Roberts said.
“Interference at home plate, the slide rule if he doesn’t stay on the bag, reviewable, but that play is not reviewable. Should be reviewable.”
MLB’s obstruction rule is defined as “an act by a fielder, who is not in possession of the ball or in the process of fielding it, that impedes the baserunner’s progress.” Crew chief Marvin Hudson, who spoke on Wendelstedt’s behalf, argued Rojas obstructed the runner by going into the lane without the ball.
“That would be an impossibility,” Roberts replied when told about Hudson’s explanation. “When guys are on the move, guys are moving around, out of position trying to make a tag play, and to say that they have to have the ball. We’re still playing baseball, and you have to let some of the greatest athletes in the world make plays.
“And again, the rule was to deter guys from blocking the bag to potentially harm a base runner that’s going in headfirst. That’s the rule. That’s the genesis of the rule. And on a tag play, again, we can look at it, Miggy’s legs are spread wide once he secured the baseball, so there is a lane. If he was there in time, the ball beat him, there was a lane.
“He doesn’t know where the runner is going to be sliding. He’s trying to secure the baseball to then turn and make a tag. That’s it, it’s a baseball play.
“I don’t want to keep going on. It was just very unfortunate, and it determined the outcome of tonight’s game, in my opinion. And I’ve never said one play is a result of a game, but this play right here changed the outcome of tonight’s game. You have a man on first base with one out, and I like my chance with Joe coming in and getting that part of the order.”
Instead of the Dodgers being in a situation of one out with a man on first, they were now in a no outs situation with runners at the corners.
The next batter, J.T. Realmuto grounded out to score the runner from third base and tie the game. After walks to Nick Castellanos and Johan Rojas, a wild pitch gave the Phillies a 5-4 lead.
Kyle Schwarber then broke open the game with a three-run homer.
It is true that the Dodgers still had to make their pitches even after the blown call and not let things spiral, but Realmuto’s ground ball should have been the second out without the run scoring, and the inning likely looks much different by the end of it.
Dave Roberts didn’t ask Hunter Wendelstedt for explanation
Roberts said he did not go to Wendelstedt looking for an explanation of his call, but rather to “defuse the situation” and keep Rojas in the game.
“There’s certain things you just can’t go out and argue check swings, a ball, things like that,” Roberts said. “That’s kind of the rule and I respect that. I didn’t try to get an explanation. I was defending my player trying to make sure Miggy was going to stay in the game.
“And I didn’t ask one time the rule interpretation. I know the interpretation. But again, he missed the call, and it changed the game. And again, Hunter is a great umpire. But in this case, we have a four-three game, we have a guy at first base, and I like our chances.”
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