The Orioles and D’backs played at Chase Field on April 8, 2025. In the top of the seventh, the O’s had Cedric Mullins on third base, Tyler O’Neil on second, and Gary Sánchez on first, with one out when Jackson Holliday, facing Shelby Miller, lined out to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in left field. The D’backs’ left fielder made a sensational catch near the ground. The umpires did not make any signal as to whether or not it was a catch. Mullins tagged-up from third and scored. Gurriels’ throw to the plate sailed to the backstop and was retrieved by catcher Gabriel Moreno.

O’Neil never tagged-up from second and was tagged out as the ball went from Moreno to third baseman Eugenio Suárez. This was a continuous action appeal.
O’s manager Brandon Hyde challenged the catch and the no-tag up. Hyde’s appeal was denied on both counts. The D’backs went on to win the game, 4-3.

Ruleball Comments

• The Catch: The Replay Official determined that the fielder (Gurriel Jr.) demonstrated firm and secure possession of the ball that never touched the ground.
• The Tag-Up: The Replay Official determined that the runner (O’Neil) left second base prior to the ball making contact with the fielder’s glove.
• I agree that the Replay Official made the proper ruling on both the “Catch” and the “Tag-Up” challenges.
• But what must be questioned is the fact that no umpire signaled “catch” or “no catch” in this play. In my opinion this placed the runner (O’Neil) in jeopardy.
• A part of rule 8.02 (C) reads, “If the umpires consult after a play and change a call that had been made, then they have the authority to take all steps they deem necessary, in their discretion, to eliminate the results and consequences of the earlier call they are reversing, including placing runners where they think those runners would have been after the play had the ultimate call been made as the initial call…”
• Neither third base umpire Mike Estabrook, or second base umpire Derek Thomas went out on the ball and signaled “catch” or “no catch.”
• According to the MLBUM, although it is not etched in stone, with runners on second and third, it is the responsibility of the third base umpire to make calls that are hit to left field.
• As stated above, in my opinion, the fact that no umpire signaled “catch or no catch,” put O’Neil in jeopardy, and in my opinion, O’Neil should have been put back on second base.
• The umpire’s “no signal” on such plays is not reviewable. But it appears that rule 8.02 (c) empowers the umpires to “get it right.” Asking for a RULES CHECK in NYC might be the thing to do.
• There is precedent for umpires to reverse a call to protect a runner. The Royals and Twins met in Minnesota on Sept. 12, 2021. In the bottom of the third, the Twins had Andrelton Simmons on second and Byron Buxton on first and one out when Rob Refsnyder hit a popup in the direction of Whit Merrifield. The Royals’ second baseman let the ball drop in front of him and turned an apparent double play. He threw to third to force Simmons and the throw then went to second to erase Buxton. It looked like an inning-ending double play. Twins’ manager Rocco Baldelli properly argued that the IFR should have been invoked. The umpires (Ben May, Rob Drake, Will Little, and Greg Gibson), aware they should have invoked the IFR, made a RULES CHECK to NYC to see if they could correct the problem. They were told they can under rule 8.02 (c) that empowers umpires to reverse an initial call that umpires deem was incorrect. So, the players were summoned back to the field. Refsnyder was ruled out and Simmons and Buxton were placed on second and first base respectively. In my opinion the same logic should prevail in the O’Neil play above.
• There are other elements of the play that deserve attention.
• The D’backs wisely made a continuous action appeal to retire O’Neil. The ball went from Moreno to Suárez. The ball wisely never went to the mound.
• This was an inning-ending “Time Play” because the third out (O’Neil) was not the result of a force out. Keep in mind that whenever a play follows a caught fly ball or line drive, it is never a force play because the batter-runner never occupies first base which creates the force.
• The play was almost a perfect storm for a “Fourth Out Appeal.” Let’s say both runners (Mullins and O’Neil) did not tag-up on the caught fly ball by Gurriel Jr. and O’Neil was tagged out for the third out. The D’backs could still appeal that Mullins also failed to tag-up. That wouldhave been the unconventional “Fourth Out” appeal as covered in rule 5.09 (c) (4). If executed, it would negate Mullins’ run because that’s the out that would have given the D’backs the greatest advantage.

Rich Marazzi

Rules consultant/analyst: Angels, Dodgers, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees, YES, and Chicago Sports Network