Sometimes, MLB umpires take too much blame for making errors in what is a truly challenging job, but sometimes the criticism is warranted. The game between the Mets and Marlins this Wednesday night unfortunately featured an example of the latter, as umpire Ramon De Jesus made an incredibly frustrating and incorrect strike three call with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning of a tie game.
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You can watch a full video of the incident, courtesy of Jomboy Media on X.
Bases loaded. Team fighting for the postseason. Ump show pic.twitter.com/3v0y0IrJup
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 28, 2023
The Marlins went on to win the game with a late flurry of offense, but they're one of a handful of teams separated by just a couple of games in the fight for the National League's last playoff spot. It's completely unacceptable for their games to include these kinds of situations where the umpire takes the bat out of players' hands in the key moments.
Burger wasn't necessarily wrong to dispute the call, as the pitch was way off the plate, but he was predictably ejected for yelling at the official, which will almost always get you tossed from the game. Still, it seemed that he was speaking on the behalf of not just Marlins fans, who thankfully got almost-immediate justice by way of going on to pick up the key win, but all baseball fans, who have had to sit through an era where umpires are seemingly getting worse and worse each season.
The Marlins and Mets wrap up their season series with a Thursday matchup, before Miami heads to Pittsburgh for the last three games of their regular season. Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs, with whom the Marlins are tied for that final NL playoff spot, face the Atlanta Braves once more after giving up consecutive heartbreaking comebacks, and then travel to Milwaukee for a final series. Stay tuned to see how this thrilling playoff race is resolved, and let's hope that there aren't any more officiating fiascoes that turn big games on their head.
