Xander Bogaerts, the prominent shortstop for the San Diego Padres, expressed his enthusiasm for the implementation of the new challenge system for balls and strikes in the upcoming MLB season. However, he regrets that this technology was not available sooner. Bogaerts’ frustration became evident after a called strikeout in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Cubs, where an apparent ball outside the strike zone was called a strike. The situation presented itself at a crucial moment. With the Cubs leading 3-0, a home run by Jackson Merrill reduced San Diego’s deficit to 3-1, opening the door for Bogaerts. On a 3-2 count, a 97 mph pitch from Brad Keller appeared to go low, provoking disbelief from Bogaerts and a reaction from manager Mike Shildt. Keller then hit Ryan O’Hearn and Bryce Johnson. If Bogaerts had walked, the Padres would have had the bases loaded with no outs. Instead, Andrew Kittredge entered the game and retired the next two batters, allowing the Cubs to advance.
What do you want me to do?
Xander BogaertsBogaerts did not hesitate to express his opinion on the umpire’s decision after the game: “It was a ball. It ruined the whole game, you know? We can’t go back in time and talking about it won’t change anything. So it was bad, and thank God for the ABS next year, because this is terrible.” The automated ball-strike system will be implemented in Major League Baseball next season, after years of testing in the minor leagues, as well as during spring training and in this year’s All-Star Game. The MLB competition committee voted last month to grant teams two challenges per game using the ABS if they believe a home plate umpire’s decision is incorrect. The end of Thursday soured a 90-win season for San Diego, which reached the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons. It has not advanced past the National League Championship Series during this recent period. “We had a lot of fun,” Bogaerts said. “We competed with each other. We had guys who suffered injuries, a lot of guys stepped up. We traded some really great people at the deadline. … It was fun until today.”
