Yoooooo, Major League Baseball. What’s going on with your umps this year? The dudes in blue have struggled a lot this season and hopefully they don’t end up playing a big role in games that matter down the stretch, especially in the playoffs.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, including a 4-strike strike out, a home plate ump in last night’s Mariners-Angels game steps up and hands you something you never thought you’d witness – a 3-ball walk. I know what you’re thinking right now – how in the world could that happen, especially at the major league level!?
This… this is how it could happen:
Earlier in the month we saw a hitter get four strikes.
Now presenting, a walk on three balls pic.twitter.com/WT2HQF8Dk8
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 16, 2022
First pitch: ball (1-0). Second pitch: strike (1-1). Third pitch: strike (1-2). Fourth pitch: ball (2-2). Ump then changes count to 3-1. Fifth pitch: ball and a walk that confuses only the announcers.
Seriously, how was nobody else on the field or in the dugouts confused by this? How did they all just let it happen, especially in a tie game in the ninth inning!? The Mariners, by the way, went on to score four times after that and won the game 6-2
That was all just soooooo bad.
Twitter agreed.