The Yankees and Astros were locked in a 4-4 tie with the bases loaded when Taylor Trammell came to the plate. Devin Williams walked him on a questionable call, then erupted at the umpire, Brian Walsh, who had already blown a few that inning. Yankees manager Aaron Boone joined in, got ejected, and laid into Walsh. Boone told him he’d ruined a big game, blasted his inconsistency, and said “you stink” several times before walking off. Things didn’t get better. Jazz Chisholm Jr. later got rung up on a high strike that looked off the plate, ending a one-run game with Stanton on deck. Chisholm and others were furious.
The next day, Walsh wasn’t behind the plate but still found a way to make headlines. This time, a third base call on a dropped liner led to confusion. The replay showed the catch was clean, but the umps ruled no catch and the play couldn’t be reviewed. Boone argued again but kept his cool. Still, fans and players were frustrated. Later, MLB confirmed the call should’ve been ruled a catch.
All this capped a brutal stretch for Brian Walsh, whose umpiring stats are among the worst in the league. He’s had multiple games this season with eye-popping numbers of missed calls. He’s developed a track record of inconsistent strike zones, a dislike for low breaking balls, and baffling decisions on routine plays. With several poor performances already on the books, Walsh has quickly earned a new profile among fans and players—not for good reasons.