Umpire gets in the runner's way, a breakdown

In the bottom of the third inning, the game is tight as the two teams battle it out. New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom is locked in a duel with Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger. With runners on first and second and two outs, deGrom delivers a 0-2 pitch that Bellinger fouls off. As the play unfolds, the focus shifts to home plate umpire Angel Hernandez, who is positioned directly in the path of the baserunners. When Bellinger hits a slow roller to the shortstop, Hernandez is standing right in the baseline, forcing the Dodgers' runner to collide with him as he tries to advance to second base. "Come on, how do you not know I'm f***ing coming?" the frustrated Dodgers manager shouts from the dugout, clearly questioning Hernandez's positioning. The collision sends both the runner and the umpire tumbling to the ground, but the umpire's interference does not prevent the force out at second base. Announcer analyzes the play, noting that Hernandez's positioning is "very tough" for the runner, who was "really trying to beat this play out." suggests that Hernandez may have been trying to get out of the way of a potential throw to first base, but ended up obstructing the baserunner in the process. "The ump is moving into his lane there," observes, "I think the ump starts with both feet on the grass and at this point the ump has both feet on the dirt, that was the umpire trying to get out of the way of the potential throw." The Dodgers' manager approaches Hernandez, asking if this positioning is "normal" and expressing his disbelief that it "never happens." Hernandez insists that it is always his standard positioning, leading the manager to review the play on an iPad to try to understand what transpired. In the end, the umpire's unusual positioning and the resulting collision with the baserunner add an unexpected and comical twist to the tense game action. While these types of incidents are rare, they serve as a reminder that even the most seasoned umpires can sometimes find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, much to the frustration of the players and coaches on the field.