Overview
- In the sixth inning on Sunday, Ernie Clement veered away from Gunnar Henderson’s tag and second-base umpire Nic Lentz ruled him safe at second, a play that preceded three two-out RBI hits and a 6-4 Blue Jays victory.
- Major League Baseball Rule 5.09(b) says a runner is out if he runs more than three feet away from his base path to avoid a tag unless he is avoiding interference, and a runner’s base path is defined at the instant a tag is attempted.
- Umpires Lentz and crew chief Hunter Wendelstedt said Clement had already established a widened path to avoid interference, with Wendelstedt calling the move 'gentlemanly' and saying the runner was getting out of the way so the fielder could make the play to first base.
- Baltimore players and staff were openly furious after the call, with Gunnar Henderson calling it 'super frustrating,' manager Craig Albernaz disputing whether a tag attempt was made, and pitcher Shane Baz yelling at umpires as he exited the game.
- The same umpire crew later called Jackson Holliday out in the ninth for leaving the baseline because he had not established a base path, the game result stood with no reported league reversal, and both teams remain close to wild-card position.