Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli erupted at baseball officials Sunday after a call on the field was overturned during a review, which resulted in a 3-2 victory for the Toronto Blue Jays.
The controversial call occurred during the 10th inning of the game between the Twins and Blue Jays, who are both competing for a slot in the playoffs. Toronto’s Cavan Biggio hit a pop-fly that sent Whit Merrifield running to home plate. Merrifield had initially been called out when he hit home plate, but a challenge and closer review determined Twins catcher Gary Sanchez had completely blocked the plate, which was against the rules.
WATCH: MLB STAR HITS THREE HOME RUNS, INCLUDING A GRAND SLAM IN FIRST THREE HITS WITH NEW TEAM
Baldelli was ejected from the game following the call after an argument with the umpires. Baldelli’s ejection was the eighth time in his career and the third this season.
“In all of baseball, the thousands and thousands of games and plays at home where the catcher actually does block the plate over and over and over again, that play has virtually never been called,” Baldelli told Bally Sports North. “And for someone to step in that situation and [decide] someone was blocking the plate, that’s beyond embarrassing for our game, for all the players out there on both sides of the field working their ass off for the entire game. It’s completely unacceptable. It’s one of the worst moments I think we’ve seen of umpiring in any game I’ve ever been a part of in baseball, and I think it was pathetic.”
Sanchez said he thought he left a spot open for Merrifield to slide to the side, but Merrifield said he expected a call to be made on the play.
“I know what the rule is; it was just a matter of if they were going to call it,” Merrifield said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The Twins, at 57-51, currently hold a slender one-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays hold the top spot in the AL wildcard standings. They are 60-48, 9.5 games adrift of the New York Yankees in the AL East.
