Getty Image / Jamie Sabau
When people complain about MLB umpires, it’s typically due to balls and strikes calls behind the plate. But, Thursday night, the ump show happened in the infield on one of the most bizarre and downright awful calls you’ll ever see.
With one out in the 9th and the White Sox trailing 8-6, Andrew Benintendi came up to bat with runners on 1st and 2nd. Benintendi popped up to shortstop on what seemed to be a routine infield fly rule call, but the umpire made it not-so-routine.
In fact, he decided to call Andrew Vaughn for interference on the play, ending the game. Take a look at this utter absurdity.
John Schriffen goes off on umpires after a controversial finish to the Orioles/White Sox game.
"Adrian Johnson. As the crew chief, you gotta take over here. THAT CANNOT BE HOW THIS GAME ENDS…I don't even have any words right now. I'm at a loss and I'm trying to keep my job." pic.twitter.com/4HloneWWlU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 24, 2024
I mean, there’s just no way. There is no possible way that the umpire deemed that to be enough contact to be interference on a play where Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson easily made the play.
But, that’s the call that was made. The White Sox, who need no help losing baseball games this year, missed out on a chance to tie or take the lead because of it.
There should be disciplinary action handed down for such an absurd call. Sadly, there probably won’t be, because MLB umpires act with impunity.