There have been plenty of bad calls from home plate umpires across MLB this season (Ángel Hernández had another one this weekend), but the error from Junior Valentine during the Yankees-Red Sox clash on Sunday may be the worst of them all.
During the second inning of the AL East rivalry game, New York outfielder Harrison Bader took what appeared by all accounts to be a third strike from Boston’s Nick Pivetta.
The 0-2 four-seam fastball was almost dead center of the strike zone, and Bader even began walking to the dugout under the impression he’d struck out. Valentine, however, didn’t see it that way and ruled the pitch a ball, prompting Bader to awkwardly step back into the batter’s box.
Fortunately for the Red Sox, Bader struck out swinging on the following pitch, but the egregious missed call from the home plate umpire did not go unnoticed by fans on social media, who were quick to voice their displeasure.
Did the umps quiet quit today? pic.twitter.com/xWzAI7CrLC
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 20, 2023
This is the worst missed strike call that I’ve seen all season https://t.co/IuHoyr5ndG
— Greg Ehrenberg (@gehrenbergdfs) August 20, 2023
Do you have any idea how bad a missed strike needs to be for the hitter to need to walk back into the box after he thought he struck out https://t.co/04ptBHzAFX
— Jays fan & Treliever (@_jraya) August 20, 2023
Ninja Umpire Rule: If the hitter is half way to the dugout & the catcher is about to throw it around, just call the pitch a strike. Assume you missed it.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 20, 2023
Not even a bender, just a middle-middle fastball. That’s some real “security guard falls asleep during robbery” energy. https://t.co/1OAMFUBAZI
— Michael Clifford (@SlimCliffy) August 20, 2023
The batter trying to be chill... https://t.co/KGRJ4QZdVk
— Matthew Sitman (@MatthewSitman) August 20, 2023
There have been a lot of hilarious ball/strike calls this year (b/c umps are human) but this has to be the worst one I've seen. https://t.co/JwnvdYWOta
— Marc Masters 🌵 (@Marcissist) August 20, 2023
