Kevin Plawecki expressed frustration after ‘terrible’ missed call in Red Sox loss
"Just a terrible call."
The Red Sox could only muster three runs on Wednesday, eventually resulting in a 5-3 extra innings defeat in Atlanta.
But as replays clearly showed, a missed call earlier in the game should have resulted in at least one additional Boston run.
With the score tied 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning, the Red Sox had the bases loaded with two outs. Boston catcher Kevin Plawecki was at the plate facing Atlanta pitcher Collin McHugh.
Despite falling behind 0-2, Plawecki worked his way back to a full count. Needing only to draw a walk to force a run in from third base, Plawecki was selective at the plate, electing to not swing at the crucial 3-2 pitch from McHugh.
This approach appeared to pay off when McHugh’s full-count cutter missed the strike zone. Yet that was not the call made by home plate umpire Adam Beck, who believed the pitch was a strike, meaning Plawecki had struck out, and the Red Sox’ bases-loaded threat was over.
The pitch missed the strike zone, as both video and MLB.com’s pitch tracker showed. Still, Beck’s call stood, leaving Boston frustrated at the decision.
Plawecki and Red Sox manager Alex Cora were both thrown out of the game in the ensuing argument with Beck. Afterward, Plawecki offered some direct criticism of the umpire.
“Just a terrible call,” he said, noting that it was “frustrating” to see the exact location of the pitch later on video he watched in the clubhouse.
“It at least cost us one run, right, if not more,” Plawecki told reporters. “But it at least cost us one. It stinks. Terrible.”
Plawecki also disagreed with the decision to throw him out so quickly.
“Not enough to get tossed as soon as I did,” he explained. “I know I threw my helmet. But that’s not what got me tossed. A pretty quick hook. But he’ll see that the ball was down. I thought he had a pretty good zone all night. When I was back there with Nate (Eovaldi), I thought he did a great job. I know he’s human just like us. But in that situation, in that spot, let’s be better than that.”
But even amid his disappointment at the call, Plawecki said he still doesn’t want a robot umpire.
“I don’t want an electronic strike zone,” said Plawecki. “There’s an art to it. Am I mad about the call tonight? Sure. But that doesn’t change my mind.”