Umpire enforces new rule and ejects Dodgers manager for defending player, a breakdown
What Happened
In the top of the sixth inning, the Los Angeles Dodgers are clinging to a slim one-run lead over the Philadelphia Phillies. With a runner on second base and no outs, the Phillies attempt to bunt the runner over to third, putting the tying run in scoring position. The Dodgers' third baseman fields the bunt and makes a strong throw to first base, but the Phillies' runner, Alec Bohm, collides with the Dodgers' fielder as he slides into the base. Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt immediately calls "fielder obstruction," ruling that the Dodgers' player impeded Bohm's path to the base. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts vehemently disagrees with the call, quickly emerging from the dugout to argue with Wendelstedt. Roberts insists that Bohm's slide obstructed the Dodgers' fielder, not the other way around. "I'm defending my player," Roberts tells the umpire. "I'm not arguing about the call." Wendelstedt, however, is not persuaded and ejects Roberts from the game, much to the dismay of the Dodgers' skipper. "I wasn't even arguing," a frustrated Roberts protests. "I'm just trying to come out and cool the waters." The new obstruction rule, implemented this season, states that a fielder cannot block a runner's path to the base without possession of the ball. In this case, the Dodgers' fielder had the ball as Bohm slid into him, which should have negated the obstruction call, according to the analyst. Despite the Dodgers' objections, Wendelstedt upholds the obstruction ruling, denying the Phillies the chance to tie the game. The Dodgers manage to escape the inning without further damage, maintaining their slim one-run lead. As Roberts heads to the clubhouse, he expresses his disappointment in the umpire's decision, noting that he was simply trying to defend his player, not argue the call. The Dodgers will now have to navigate the rest of the game without their skipper, who was ejected for standing up for his team.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentDodgers are up one run in the top of the sixth inning, but the Phillies have a runner on second
base. The tying run, no outs. This breakdown is brought to you by T-Mobile, America's largest
5G network. They're going to bunt them over to third base, put them in even closer scoring
position. Nice play by the Dodgers to get the safe, safe, fielder obstruction, fielder obstruction.
What? Huh? Don't even, don't even. Hunter says, don't even, Ross says, what are you talking about?
I'm running. I'm running to the bag. How could I obstruct? What? What? I know, but what? You
asked, I'm telling you. All right. Yeah. But to say, I understand that you asked me and I'm telling
you. All right. So there's new rules about this. And the rule is that the, the fielder can't plant
himself in the sliding lane without the ball because guys were getting hurt. It was a thing
third baseman would do when they dive back or on stolen bases, you would put your,
your leg in between the base and you or your foot to block the runner's path. This is a bit
different because he's not planted. So I don't know what the new rule specifically says, but this
is what umpire Hunter Wendelstadt sees. This angle shows what he sees. He sees the, the foot of the,
of the runner hit the foot of the fielder, which slows the path to the base. So that seems to be
what he sees and what he's focusing on. Now, I don't know the wording of the new rule, but most
obstruction rules say that once the fielder has the ball, he can somewhat do what he wants to,
to finish the play, you know, while inactive making the play. So he catches the ball there.
If it went to replay, I think they see that. And this gets overturned. You, you can't,
you can't go to replay on this. I never understand that.
So they can't go to replay. So I think this is a botched call, but again, I'm not 100% familiar
with the interpretation of the ruling. Go to close call sports and all the video up. Um,
they do a great job over there, but I think this is a botched call. So does Miguel Rojas.
So the Dodgers, so did both sets of announcers, but I understand why he's calling it because he's not
able to look at the ball in glove and the two feet sliding at the same exact time.
He can't see all of that when he's that close honed into one thing. So he just sees the foot,
hit the foot, and he doesn't know that he had the ball and that's illegal. So he says obstruction,
obstruction right away. It's a really nice play. Third baseman comes in,
bobbles it for a second, short stops, running over, grabs it, makes the tag really nice play
to stop the tying run. Now, Robert saw his player arguing with the umpire and he comes out of the
dugout. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm defending my player. Don't worry about it.
I'm not arguing about that. Back away. I know. Hold on. Walk away. Walk away. I'm turning.
Don't follow me. Wendell's that treated Roberts like he was a wild animal that was following him
on his hiking trail. I was like, no, no, no, no, no. Don't worry about back away. Walk away. Walk
away. I'm turning. Don't follow me. But Roberts kept walking with him. He told him not to. You're
out of here. Roberts. What are you talking about? I wasn't even arguing.
play i'm just i'm just defending my player i'm trying to you're yelling at my player i'm just
i'm not yelling at him i'm explaining i can defend my player defend him from what from getting tossed
i wasn't gonna toss him and that's where roberts gets really upset see because david he's like how
do i know you're not gonna toss him i can't read your mind all i know is what it looks like it
looks like you're arguing and i'm just trying to come out and cool the waters i wasn't even
arguing about the call even though i don't think it's right and that's the hand on the hips that's
disappointed he was mad earlier right and now this hand on hips deep sigh deep breath that's
disappointment looking off into space that's disappointment and the umpire's like he's
frustrated he's arguing about the rule i was just trying to protect him i turned my back to you and
said don't follow me and then you followed me well roberts is like well okay so he
got the call and he's like i'm just trying to come out and cool the waters i wasn't even
they didn't like the call at all wendelstadt he liked the call he agreed with it maybe he didn't
when he went back and watched it i have no idea what do you think right call wrong call good rule
bad rule one thing to keep in mind whether you're home or away experience better game days
with t-mobile america's largest 5g network to learn more visit t-mobile.com slash mlb thanks
for watching and tuning in and thanks to hunter wendelstadt he's giving us some good ones this
year
he's giving us some good ones remember when he threw out that fan for no
that memory throughout that fan uh throughout boone thinking it was a fan that was good stuff