MLB umpire Brian Walsh under intense scrutiny after missing obvious strike call in Orioles-Blue Jays game
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
MLB umpires have been scrutinized for years now, especially those behind the plate calling balls and strikes.Â
However, baseball fans were in an uproar after an egregious call on Monday night in the game between the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays.Â
During the AL East matchup, Orioles starter Zach Eflin delivered a pitch that broke left to right and ended up right in the heart of the plate. Blue Jays batter Ernie Clement stepped away from the dish in what appeared to be his acceptance of the first-pitch strike.Â
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Home plate umpire Brian Walsh, #120, returns to home plate in the bottom of the third inning during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Angels and Houston Astros on Sept. 22, 202 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. (Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
However, home plate umpire Brian Walsh just stood there, indicating it was a ball in his eyes.Â
Eflin and catcher Adley Rutschman both froze at the same time, staring at Walsh in disbelief that he didn’t call the pitch a strike.Â
TENSIONS BOIL OVER IN MARLINS-GIANTS GAME AS BENCHES CLEAR IN HEATED MOMENT
“Wait a minute,” one of the Orioles announcers was heard saying over the broadcast.
“My goodness,” his partner chimed in. “… You couldn’t set it on the tee in the heart of the plate any better. Look at this pitch right here. How do you miss that?”
Umpire Brian Walsh, #120, taps his helmet during a pitch call review using ABS, or automatic ball-strike, technology in the sixth inning during a spring training game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on March 7, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
Luckily for the Orioles, the call wasn’t a big one in the game, and they ended up crushing the Blue Jays, 11-4, at their home, Camden Yards.Â
Walsh, though, was under fire recently after a strike-three call in the bottom of the ninth to end the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros.Â
The D-Backs were down one run to the Astros when All-Star Ketel Marte awaited a 3-2 pitch from Josh Hader with two outs and a runner on first.Â
Hader’s backdoor slider was outside the strike zone, but Walsh called it for strike three despite the pitch never being in the zone.Â
Umpire Brian Walsh, #120, stands at home plate during a spring training game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on March 7, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
While Marte walked away without saying anything to Walsh, the Diamondbacks’ broadcast team wasn’t happy.Â
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.