Two Debatable Calls at Home Plate Spur a Rules Debate in MLB

Fans and players alike in the National Football League have been complaining for years that no one is clear what exactly constitutes a catch in the league. It would appear that not a single person in Major League Baseball is aware of the meaning of the term “blocking the plate.”

For example, during a game on Tuesday between the Texas Rangers and the Chicago White Sox, the Texas Rangers’ catcher Jonah Heim set up to the side of home plate, got a flawless throw from his teammate Travis Jankowski, and tagged out Elvis Andrus to keep the score knotted at 6-6.

The White Sox challenged the ruling, claiming that Andrus was safe and that Heim obstructed the plate. The replay review panel in New York overturned it, much to the dismay of Rangers Manager Bruce Bochy, who went out and ultimately earned himself an ejection as a result of his actions.

The White Sox were victorious in the game by a score of 7-6 thanks to the questionable run. The following day, the San Diego Padres were defeated by the San Francisco Giants in a game that was at least partially attributed to another questionable call made at the plate.