A rough season for MLB umpires got even worse during Saturday's Mets-Phillies game, as Dan Iassogna's crew botched two calls on the same play, turning what originally would have been a fielder's choice into an inning-ending 6-6-3 double play.
With one on and one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Aaron Loup got Matt Joyce to ground a ball up the middle, fielded by Francisco Lindor in the shift. Lindor chased Andrew McCutchen as he ran from first to second, but was unable to tag him before throwing to first, where Joyce was called safe.
However, second base umpire Jose Navas – a rookie umpire filling in for Iassogna on the field crew – called McCutchen out of the baseline, despite McCutchen staying on the same path in the dirt, only touching the grass briefly as he slid into second base.
And, to make things worse for the crew, a replay review overturned Andy Fletcher's safe call at first, as Joyce was ruled out by half a step. Check out the full play and aftermath:
The out of the baseline call is not reviewable as a judgment call, but Phillies manager Joe Girardi did argue it – and Bryce Harper, who was not in the Phils' starting lineup, was ejected from the bench for chirping about the play as well.
"Making stuff up out there," SNY analyst Ron Darling said as the broadcast went to break between innings, with play-by-play man Gary Cohen later adding: "I do not understand how a major-league umpire makes that call. We saw a call for obstruction last week that was the worst call of the year, and this one I think topped it."
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