The Milwaukee Brewers have been involved in back-to-back games with umpiring controversy. Against the New York Yankees a blatant interference from Aaron Judge was missed live and later deemed not legal. A day later, against the Tampa Bay Rays, an out was called after a swinging strike three went to the backstop (first base open) and the tying run was also sent back to third base due to contact being made between the hitter and catcher.
Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy tossed from Tampa Bay Rays game moments before 1-0 defeat (watch).
First year Brewers manager Pat Murphy got hot during the ninth inning against the Rays. With his team trailing by a run, the tying run at third base and winning run on second, a wild pitch + strikeout scenario unfolded in which Sal Frelick appeared to score the tying run while hitter Jake Bauers took off for first base. However on the back swing Bauer’s bat caught the catchers mask, the umpire ruled the play dead, called Bauers out, and sent Frelick back to third base. Milwaukee went on to lose by a score of 1-0 and Murphy was ejected during an argument.
The Brewers’ game-tying run was erased because the batter hit the catcher with his back swing
Pat Murphy was ejected and the Brewers lost the game pic.twitter.com/ESn9H98f64
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 30, 2024
Did the umpires get this call right?
According to Baseball Rules Academy, rules 6.03 (a) (3) and (4) states the following regarding swinging strike threes with unintentional contact:
If a batter strikes at a ball and misses and swings so hard he carries the bat all the way around and, in the umpire’s judgment, unintentionally hits the catcher or the ball in back of him on the backswing, it shall be called a strike only (not interference). The ball will be dead, however, and no runner shall advance on the play.
Pat Murphy was arguing that the unintentional contact had no impact on the play.
Post game Brewers manager Pat Murphy stated that he believed they got the call wrong. He said that the back swing happened after the ball had already passed the catcher and interprets that as not impeding the catcher from making a play.
“In my opinion that’s a bad call, they made a mistake and they changed the game.” #Brewers manager Pat Murphy on the backswing interference call the umpires made in the ninth inning #ThisIsMyCrew | #MLB pic.twitter.com/bKEt4TgTSY
— Bally Sports Wisconsin (@BallySportWI) April 30, 2024
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