A controversial call at home plate during a Guardians-Tigers game has sparked fresh debate around MLB’s rule on catchers blocking the plate. Austin Hedges, the Guardians’ catcher, thought he’d ended the inning by tagging out Javier Báez at home. But Tigers manager A.J. Hinch challenged the play. After review, umpires ruled that Hedges had illegally blocked the plate before receiving the ball, overturning the out, awarding the run, and extending the inning. That led to a major momentum shift. Zach Plesac had already started walking back to the dugout thinking the inning was done. He had to regroup and return to the mound, only to give up a home run on the next pitch. What could’ve been a scoreless frame instead turned into a three-run swing.
Hedges later criticized the call and was fined by MLB. The umpires defended their decision, citing the rule designed to protect runners by requiring catchers to give a clear lane unless they already have the ball. The issue is that for 150 years, catchers have set up in front of the plate and made that tag with no problem. Now, with the rule being enforced more strictly, runs are coming off the board in ways that feel unfamiliar to players and fans. The video compares recent plays from a Yankees-Mets game to show how MLB wants catchers to wait off the line until they possess the ball. But the application is inconsistent, and outcomes hinge on split-second timing and camera angles.
It’s not a new rule, but it’s being used in new ways. As Hedges said, it’s making it harder for catchers to play the position as they’ve always done. With October approaching, this kind of call could decide a playoff game. And if that happens, expect the outcry to get louder.