MLB reached out to White Sox to explain bizarre interference call that ended game originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Major League Baseball approached white sock with respect to Controversial interference call that ended the game in Thursday’s 8-6 loss to the Orioles.
ESPN insider Jesse Rogers reported Friday that the league “essentially” told the White Sox that the decision should not have been made.
League reached out to the White Sox, according to source. Basically, he told them that the obstruction call should not have been made to end the game. There is some discretion there. https://t.co/gxCSWcXwb2
—Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) May 24, 2024
White Sox general manager Chris Gets confirmed Friday that the team spoke with MLB, but did not reveal what was said other than that he was told that the umpire’s ability to call interference, generally, is a decision. of criteria.
“There is discretion,” Getz said.
That means the umpire wasn’t obligated to call interference on Vaughn for accidentally (barely mentioning) getting in the shortstop’s path to the ball, but he also wasn’t technically incorrect in doing so, no matter how messy it was.
And this was certainly foolish.
Down 8-2 in the final frame, the White Sox rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth and had a chance to win the game with runners on first and second with one out.
Andrew Benintendi swung for an infield fly ball, and Andrew Vaughn calmly walked back to second base as shortstop Gunner Henderson moved to make the catch. The referee called interference on Vaughn, who inadvertently stepped into Henderson’s path.
Similar to the league’s verbal explanation, the MLB rule book states that “a runner who is deemed to have hindered a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out, whether it was intentional.” or not”. The key word here is “awarded.”
Suffice it to say that the White Sox still disagree with the referee’s judgment.
“I don’t like the way the play was called,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol told reporters Friday. “I think it was called inaccurate, in my opinion. Just my opinion. I don’t think any baseball game should end like that.”
That opinion is on par with most of those who saw the play in person and at home, including Orioles manager Brandon Hyde.
“I feel like we got away from there,” Hyde said after the game.
The White Sox will look to put Thursday’s fiasco behind them when they face the Orioles in Game 2 of the series on Friday at 6:40.
