The New York Yankees certainly felt like they were cheated out of their game on Wednesday night against the Houston Astros.
Home plate umpire Brian Walsh ejected Aaron Boone and Devin Williams during the 8th inning. He also called a bases-loaded balk in what seemed to be a PitchCom issue for Camilo Doval.
But what can be done now is the question.
MLB writer calls out umpire
Some are taking it another step, suggesting that Major League Baseball has to investigate his actions during the Yankees game.
“Home plate umpire Brian Walsh ejected manager Aaron Boone and reliever Devin Williams in an eighth-inning spiral, squeezed the zone on pitches that changed counts and runs, called a bases-loaded balk on Camilo Doval amid a documented PitchCom issue, and then ended a ninth-inning rally with a full-count strike that lived outside.
“Consequently, if MLB wants credibility heading into September, it should open a formal review into Walsh’s performance and how it influenced the outcome of an 8–7 Astros win at Daikin Park,” Alvin Garcia wrote for Heavy.
MORE: Yankees make surprise Giancarlo Stanton decision 3 days after Aaron Boone said he wouldn’t do this
Walsh might’ve believed that he was making the right decisions to toss Boone and Williams, and ultimately, while he didn't have a great day behind the plate, if Boone or Williams said things that typically get players and managers ejected, that's what's going to happen.
Still, with the postseason being as close as it is, and umpires needing to call games correctly because every game matters down the stretch for teams like the Yankees, issues like Wednesday night can't continue to happen.
Frankly, it's time for Major League Baseball to start implementing the ABS system they already have built to call correct balls and strikes. There's no reason to give pitchers or hitters even more than an advantage when they're already the best players in the world.