We’ve seen some complaints about umpire Phil Cuzzi before — remember Max Scherzer’s ejection? How about that weird balk call? And that time he baited Gabe Kapler into an ejection?
This one? A very questionable set of calls on the very same batter in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 9-8 win over the Minnesota Twins. Alex Kirilloff was at the plate and saw two pitches that should have been either outside or inside from reliever Phil Bickford. But nope! Cuzzi called them strikes.
Heck, the Dodgers’ announcers were stunned by the calls!
Check out the calls and the reaction from both the booth and from some irate fans:
Welcome to the Phil Cuzzi show pic.twitter.com/0Edd9mm6bq
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 16, 2023
Dodgers announcers on the same sequence:
"Boy oh boy, Phil Cuzzi just made being a Major League hitter way harder than it already is."
"Both sides of the plate were an extra three inches. We shall take it. I mean, that's not even close."
"That's impossible for a hitter" pic.twitter.com/aL0oCQRZpG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 16, 2023
If the Twins lose this game it is because Phil Cuzzi took the bat out of Alex Kirilloff’s hands and didn’t allow the team to come away with more than a run in the 10th pic.twitter.com/kDGbHt2eho
— Jack (@PrimeLarnach9) May 16, 2023
Phil Cuzzi hates the Minnesota Twins. There is no other explanation pic.twitter.com/03UyG9JqtZ
— Jack (@PrimeLarnach9) May 16, 2023
And then Phil Cuzzi does this in a huge spot. You gotta be kidding, man. pic.twitter.com/akpbPDziC8
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) May 16, 2023
I thought Phil Cuzzi owed a life debt to the Twins after the Mauer situation. Apparently not pic.twitter.com/Asjd5ENEnX
— Benjamin Jones (@BenJones_5) May 16, 2023
With a lot of help from Phil Cuzzi behind the plate, Phil Bickford is able to limit the damage to just 1 run.
The Dodgers will have Max Muncy, J.D. Martinez and Jason Heyward due up with Will Smith on second base.
James Outman is available to pinch hit, too.
Dodgers down 8-7.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) May 16, 2023
It’s always nice when Twitter brings people together with a unifying opinion and today it’s Phil Cuzzi is terrible at his job.
— Nerrida Poke (@the_neds) May 16, 2023
