Confusion Takes Over in Blue Jays-Red Sox Game
Breaking Down one of the Most Confusing Moments in Baseball
If you ask any baseball fan what their favourite part of the game is, there’s an almost non-existent chance they’d reply with the litigation process.
But on Monday night at the Rogers Centre, that small portion of the baseball world got to revel in two confused coaching staffs, a restless crowd, and a rule check in New York.
In the 7th inning of a game between the Blue Jays and Red Sox, Toronto pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson found himself in a jam: Runners at the corners and one out.
On the first pitch to Boston centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, Woods Richardson hung a breaking ball over the heart of the plate. Rafaela got under it, skying it to centre field.
However, both runners at the corners — Anthony Seigler and Nick Sogard — got confused from a scoreboard error that said there were two outs instead of one, and failed to tag up on the play.
Bateman, the centerfielder, got the ball into the infield where the ball was lobbed to Vladimir Guerrero Jr, at first base to record the double play to end the inning.
Get Blue Jays Corner’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
This is where the confusion sets in.
Seigler reached home plate before the out at first was recorded. Toronto could’ve appealed the call by throwing the ball to third base and step on the bag, invoking what is known as the “Fourth Out Rule”, or Rule 7.10(d).
The rule states that if there’s a scenario in which three outs are recorded (not via force) but an appealable play is still sustained on a runner, then that appeal takes precedence over the third out.
This means that the only way the Blue Jays’ could’ve stopped the runner from scoring is by appealing the play at 3rd base and collecting a “fourth out”.
As soon as all Jays’ defenders crossed the foul line, an appeal was unavailable. However, the Blue Jays’ dugout claimed that the umpire waved the Jays’ off the field before they were able to make an appeal.
“The rule is the rule,” said Blue Jays’ Manager John Schneider after the game. “When that play happens again in the next 100 years, if its us, we will record the lead out at 3rd.”
On the other side, Anthony Seigler took minimal pride in scoring the run.
“I looked up as it was going to the outfield and I looked at the scoreboard,” said Seigler. “Coincidentally. I saw two outs so I just took off. No excuse. It’s unacceptable.”
To note, in a rule change this season, the scoreboard is operated by Major League Baseball and not the team.
Shockingly, this situation has occured once recently in 2022 between the Pirates and Nationals, but is incredibly rare.
