With two runners on and the team trailing by two, Fernando Tatis Jr. took off as part of a double steal attempt. J.T. Realmuto fired the throw down, but it skipped past the infielder and was on its way to left field. Before the ball could get through, the umpire unintentionally took the brunt of it, getting hit and stopping the play. The unexpected contact prevented a run from scoring and possibly changed the momentum.
The opposing manager was clearly frustrated, pointing out that the umpire’s position cost his team a run. He argued the ball would have gotten through cleanly. During the brief exchange, Realmuto claimed the runner might have been out, but the consensus seemed to be that even if the ball had been caught, the runner would likely have been safe.
The play left both teams somewhat confused and annoyed. While it’s not uncommon for umpires to accidentally interfere, the timing heavily impacted the inning. The blocked throw likely saved a run and shifted the pressure back onto the offense.