The Cleveland Guardians scored five straight runs to ultimately win Wednesday’s matchup with the Twins, 5-2, in extra innings. But it was the game-tying play in the ninth that had plenty of Twins fans upset about the umpiring.
Plot twist: The umpires were right.
With the Guardians down to their last strike, trailing by one and runners on second and third, Bo Naylor showed off some acrobatics to avoid a curveball from closer Jhoan Duran that went behind him. But in doing so, Naylor waved his bat across the plate. Andres Gimenez came in to score on a wild pitch and tie the game.
Yet, there was confusion from the Twins dugout over the play.
Oh my god… down to their last strike a wild pitch allows the Guardians to tie it. pic.twitter.com/76Rl6vyGiC
— MLB Clutch Moments & Walk Offs (@MLBWalk_Offs) August 30, 2023
Naylor started making his way to first, which is something he’d do if the pitch either hit him or if he thought it was a third-strike wild pitch. Home plate umpire Jose Navas and the rest of the crew ruled that the pitch was a ball (meaning the run would count). The Twins challenged the play for a hit by pitch, hoping that an overturn would load the bases rather than tie the game. That challenge failed.
That brings us back to Naylor who could have struck out on the play if umpires ruled it a swing. And while Twins fans would have liked to see that called a swing for a third strike, MLB rules say that a batter must attempt to strike the ball for it to be considered a swing. That’s a judgement call left to the umpires, and Naylor absolutely appeared to be avoiding the pitch. Plus, the Twins would have needed to throw to first and complete the out if it was a swing, and Naylor had a decent chance of reaching safely.
Though the play was accurately called, MLB fans had mixed thoughts over the ruling.
This was how Twitter reacted
A WILD finish to the game in Minnesota.
Bo Naylor at the plate and clearly swings at what would’ve been strike 3 to end the game. But nobody called it a swing… Guardians went on to win it.
What do you think?
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) August 30, 2023
I think Naylor started toward first not because he was hit but he swung and thought it was a dropped third strike
— Puckett's Pond (@PuckettsPond) August 30, 2023
Ahhaha that’s strike 3 in the guardians game.
Naylor full on swung. MLB IS HILARIOUS
— The Perfect Play (@theperfectplayy) August 30, 2023
If your bat comes around getting out of the way from a pitch that's behind you, well, even Angel Hernandez would of gotten this call right. Not a swing. Hilarious to even argue it was.
— Fred Russell (@MyrrInfra) August 30, 2023
He’s avoiding the pitch not making “an attempt to strike the ball.” So by MLB’s rule book it is not a swing.
— Ryan Phillips (@RumorsandRants) August 30, 2023
Ron Gant was out
Whit Merrifield was out
Bo Naylor swung— ASJ_42 (@ASJ_42) August 30, 2023
You guys know that Naylor swung the bat on that play, right? #mntwins
— Greg Jensen (@JensenGregory) August 30, 2023
Looks like he’s tryin to get the heck out of the way. Wouldn’t consider that a swing.
— Brent Mahaffey (@BrentMahaffey10) August 30, 2023
It’s a judgment call by the umpire. He has the ability to decide whether he feels he is making an attempt to swing at the ball. In this case he is avoiding it. It’s the rules
— G-Men Man (@GMen_Man) August 30, 2023
