In a pivotal American League East showdown between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday afternoon, an unanticipated interruption brought the game to a temporary standstill. The source of the disturbance? The glare from a police officer’s wristwatch.
With the division lead at stake, the contest took an unexpected turn in the third inning when Juan Soto notified the umpire about an obstruction in the vicinity of the batter’s eye. This led to bewilderment among the spectators and broadcasters, as no immediate explanation was provided for the disruption.
The umpire proceeded to approach the Orioles’ dugout and appeared to communicate with an individual in the outfield via telephone. Initially, a person wearing a white shirt near the batter’s eye adjusted their position, prompting YES Network color commentator Joe Girardi to humorously remark, “Someone send him an orange shirt!”
However, it quickly became evident that the culprit behind the disturbance was the wristwatch of a nearby police officer. The reflection emanating from the watch, amplified by the sun’s glare, was hindering the Yankees slugger’s ability to clearly see the incoming pitches.
Once the officer made a minor adjustment to their position, the game was able to continue. Regrettably for Soto, the peculiar delay did not translate to improved fortunes at the plate, as he struck out shortly after play resumed.
This incident serves as the latest addition to a growing collection of unusual game delays, coming on the heels of a recent bee colony disruption that occurred in Arizona earlier in the week.
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