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.
