The 2024 MLB season delivered no shortage of chaos, particularly when it came to umpire calls and player reactions. Several ejections stood out, often fueled by questionable strike calls, missed check swing judgments, and inconsistent strike zones. Jake Cave erupted on an umpire after what he believed was a missed swinging strike call, continuing the argument even after the game ended. In another wild sequence, a catcher lost control of the ball multiple times in the rain, and a run scored during the confusion before the coaching staff exploded, leading to ejections on the bench and behind the plate.
Things didn’t calm down in other parks. Chris Bassitt got tossed from the dugout just for yelling after a check swing was called a strike. Later, Gabe Morales made another controversial check swing call at home plate. When players questioned him, he resisted input from base umpires and ejected anyone who pressed too hard. One game saw a bizarre infield fly situation where a runner was ruled out for interference, and no one seemed sure what the correct call should have been. On a potential hit-by-pitch, Angel Hernandez ruled it a swing despite clear replay showing otherwise. His refusal to confer with other umpires or acknowledge the replay only added frustration.
Umpire-player tensions peaked with repeated shouting matches and finger-pointing in crowded dugouts and on the basepaths. More than once, managers and players were ejected mostly for trying to get clarification. At times, runners didn’t tag up or thought they were out when they weren’t, leading to chaotic rundowns and multiple outs that no one seemed to understand. The recurring theme was simple: inconsistent umpiring and short fuses, from both the men in blue and the teams they faced.