Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected in the 10th inning of Sunday’s 3–2 loss to the Blue Jays after a controversial play at the plate and subsequent replay that Baldelli called “one of the worst moments I think we’ve ever seen umpire every game I’ve ever been in baseball.
With Caleb Tailbar on the mound for Minnesota in the top of the 10th inning, Toronto’s Cavan Bijou hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Whit Merrifield to score the game-winning run from third base. However, Merrifield was initially called out at the plate before the call was overturned when the umpiring team ruled that Twins catcher Gary Sanchez had interfered with the Blue Jays player.
Replay officials ruled that Sanchez did not allow a clear lane for Merrifield, whose leg collided with the Twins catcher’s left leg, to reach home plate on the play. As a result, the Blue Jays took the lead in the late game and the inning went on.
After the review, the enraged Baldelli immediately got out of the pirogue and rushed to the judges. He threw his hat and started yelling at the crew, which was enough to get him kicked out of the ball game.
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“For somebody to step in, in that situation, and ultimately decide it’s a plate block … it’s beyond embarrassing for our game, for all the players on both sides of the field working on their a– distance throughout the game. This is completely unacceptable,” Baldelli said in a post-match press conference.
“I think it’s one of the worst times we’ve seen officiating in any game I’ve ever been in baseball, and I think it was unfortunate what just played out.”
After Baldelli’s ejection, Toronto closer Jordan Romano finished off Minnesota in the bottom half of the inning, retiring the Twins’ first three batters to end the game.
The Blue Jays improved to 60–48 on the year with the win, while the Twins (57–51) saw their AL Central lead shrink to one game with the loss.
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