Plate Umpire Interference Costs Astros Stolen Base Attempt Against Mariners
The Mariners hosted the Astros on April 12, 2026. In the top of the first inning, the Astros had Jose Altuve on first base with no outs when he attempted to steal second. The throw to second sailed into the outfield, and Altuve advanced to third. But wait! Plate umpire Clint Vondrak called interference on…
Runner Interference Call Ends Rays Threat Against Pirates and Paul Skenes
The Pirates hosted the Rays on April 18, 2026. In the top of the second inning, the Rays had the bases loaded with no outs when Hunter Feducia, facing Paul Skenes, hit a ground ball to Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Richie Palacios, the runner on first, impeded Horwitz as he attempted to field the…
Replay Reversal Sparks Chaos as Rob Thomson Ejected in Phillies–Nationals Inning
The Philadelphia Phillies faced the Washington Nationals on March 30, 2026 in a chaotic sequence that unfolded in the first inning. Nationals outfielder Joey Wiemer grounded into what both teams initially believed was the final out of the frame, as it was unclear whether he had been retired at first base. With two outs and…
ABS Is Here! How the New Balls and Strikes System Will Change MLB
The ABS challenge system has officially arrived in Major League Baseball, marking a major shift in how balls and strikes are called. After years of testing, the league is now giving players the ability to challenge key pitches in real time. In these videos, we break down exactly how the system works, what has changed…
Understanding MLB “Time Plays”: Three Real-Game Examples That Every Team Should Know
Play No. 1 The Twins hosted the Cubs on July 9th, 2025. In the bottom of the fourth, Harrison Bader was batting facing Cade Horton. The Twins had Royce Lewis on third and Matt Wallner on first with two outs when Wallner broke for second on a 0-1 pitch. Wallner got into a rundown between…
Keeping the Force Alive: Four MLB Plays That Show the Power of Smart Base-Running Rules
Play No. 1 Walker Keeps Force Alive The Braves hosted the Astros on September 19, 2025. In the bottom of the fourth, Atlanta had Ronald Acuña Jr. on first with one out when Blake Baldwin hit a ground ball to first baseman Christian Walker. Acuña briefly froze before retreating to first. Walker tagged Acuña, who…
The Baseline Rule: Understanding Runner Restrictions and Umpire Judgments in Baseball
Understanding the baseline rule can pay dividends on both sides of the ball. The Official Baseball Rules refer to the runner’s baseline as his base path under Rule 5.09 (b) (1). But I think there is a distinction between a base path and a baseline. When a runner is in a base path he has…
The Bizarre Walk-Off That Was Almost Ruined by a Dugout Celebration
In a Pacific Coast League game between Triple-A Reno (D-backs) and Albuquerque (Rockies) on May 21, 2025, at Greater Nevada Field, chaos ensued when the home team celebrated a bit prematurely. Here’s how the play was basically reported: With Reno trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning and one out, Connor Kaiser delivered…
Defensive Shift Violation
The Mariners and Royals played at Kauffman Stadium on September 18, 2025. In the top of the eighth, Dominic Canzone was facing Stephen Kolek with one out when he hit a ground ball to second baseman Michael Massey, who tossed to first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino for the apparent 4–3 out. But Mariners manager Dan Wilson…