Overview
- Brett Baty’s first-inning plate appearance, which ended Sunday at Citi Field on an ABS review, went from a bases-loaded walk to a called third strike after Rockies catcher Brett Sullivan tapped his helmet to challenge.
- The Associated Press reported it as the first recorded case under MLB’s ball‑strike challenge system of a bases‑loaded walk becoming an inning‑ending strikeout.
- Home plate umpire Ryan Blakney was challenged four times in the first inning and three of those calls were overturned, with four of seven challenges successful in the game.
- Hot mics later caught Blakney telling Baty “Then challenge it” and “Don’t look at me like that” after a separate strikeout, and Mets coach Tim Leiper stepped in as the exchange ended without an ejection.
- Colorado won 3-1 in the opener and 3-0 in the nightcap to sweep the series, while former umpire Richie Garcia’s recent comments calling the process embarrassing to umpires reflect growing pressure tied to frequent reviews.