The New York Yankees edged out a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals in Game 3 of the ALDS, positioning themselves one win away from advancing to the ALCS. The tight game, however, wasn’t without its share of controversy, as questionable umpiring decisions nearly derailed the Yankees’ momentum.
A pivotal moment unfolded in the top of the third inning when Gleyber Torres hit a soft fly ball down the right field line. Right-field umpire Ryan Blakney, stationed near the play, ruled it foul. The call was challenged and reviewed, but it ultimately stood, despite one replay angle showing that the ball may have grazed the chalk of the foul line.
At the time of the disputed call, Oswaldo Cabrera was on first base with two outs, facing Royals pitcher Seth Lugo at Kauffman Stadium. Cabrera, known for his speed, would likely have scored had the hit been ruled fair. However, the review official determined there wasn’t enough clear evidence to overturn the initial foul call.
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After the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone addressed the situation, sharing his view that the ball appeared to hit the line based on the stadium replay. Still, he conceded that overturning such close calls required indisputable evidence.
“We thought it was super close,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s more angles or whatever. It felt like looking up there [at the video board], that one angle — gun to my head, I’m saying it’s touching the line, but you probably also realize that this may be standing, too.”
Seems like a fair ball to me … but the call stood and a potential RBI double for Gleyber Torres was a foul ball.
Even if Oswaldo Cabrera didn't score (running from first), Juan Soto would've been up with a runner in scoring position and two men out… pic.twitter.com/SYTgPOkR24
Here's the Gleyber Torres foul ball that they did not overturn after replay. Not a great angle here on the initial broadcast but the right field umpire (Ryan Blakney) was right on top of it. Call could have easily gone the Yanks' way here. pic.twitter.com/UZDB5Dmyvq
The Yankees faced another controversy later when a potential rally was cut short, following the Yankees’ loss of a two-run lead as Clarke Schmidt gave up a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth.
With Juan Soto on first base and two outs, Aaron Judge worked a full count against Royals pitcher Brady Singer. Singer’s final pitch appeared outside the strike zone, and while Judge started to swing, he managed to check it in time. Initially, it was called a ball, and Judge prepared to walk to first base.
However, Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez appealed to first base umpire Mark Carlson for a ruling. Carlson determined that Judge had gone around, resulting in a strikeout and ending the inning. Replays suggested that Judge may not have fully committed to the swing and should have been awarded a walk, which would have put Soto in scoring position and brought Austin Wells to bat.
While the Yankees felt hard done by this decision, it’s worth noting they’ve had some favorable calls in the series. In Game 1, they may have benefited from the replay system when Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s stolen base attempt, which could have been ruled out, was upheld as safe.
These moments underscore how pivotal umpiring decisions and replay reviews can be in determining the outcome of playoff games, with both teams experiencing the highs and lows of these close calls.
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