Little Turf Means It's a Trap & Tag Attempt Base Path Plays

Consecutive plays confused Tigers manager AJ Hinch as Replay upheld a no catch/trap call on Rangers batter Kyle Higashioka's line drive to Riley Greene before 2B Umpire Alfonso Márquez ruled an out of the base path infraction did not occur when runner Higashioka avoided Detroit fielder Javier Báez's tag attemp on Jonah Heim's ground ball, resulting in an error. Let's review.

We begin with one out and none on in the bottom of the 3rd inning with Higashioka's line drive to left fielder Greene, ruled no catch by 3B Umpire Carlos Torres and challenged by Detroit. Replay Review returned a "call stands" verdict, deeming that video evidence was not clear or convincing to suggest the call's quality of correctness. 

The TV broadcast pondered what would happen if half of the ball was cleanly caught by the glove while the other half bounced off the turf. The Official Baseball Rules' definition of catch states, "A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in their hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing they do not use their cap, protector, pocket or any other part of their uniform in getting possession."

Because "IN FLIGHT describes a batted, thrown, or pitched ball which has not yet touched the ground or some object other than a fielder," a half-glove, half-ground situation would not qualify as a catch.

On the very next play, Rangers batter Heim hit a ground ball to Báez, who attempted to tag baserunner R1 Higashioka before ultimately throwing to first base (an overthrow for an error). 2B Umpire Márquez ruled R1 Higashioka did not run out of his base path, explaining to a befuddled manager Hinch there was no tag attempt.

Although replays indicate there actually was a tag attempt later in the sequence, OBR 5.09(b)(1) states, "Any runner is out when they run more than three feet away from their base path to avoid being tagged unless their action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner’s base path is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base they are attempting to reach safely."

Because the runner already ran to the right field side of the baseline between first and second base prior to the fielder's tag attempt, R1's base path was established from this point and, therefore, he did not run more than three feet away from his base path to avoid the tag (even if he ran more than three feet away from the baseline...just not his personal base path).

Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 099 - Brennan Miller (2; Oliver Marmol)

HP Umpire Brennan Miller ejected Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (ball three call to Jurickson Profar; QOCY) in the top of the 9th inning of the #Braves-#Cardinals game. With none out and one on, Braves batter Profar took a 2-2 slider from Cardinals pitcher Ryan Helsley for a called third ball. Replays indicate the pitch was located over the outer half of home plate and above the midpoint (px -0.41, pz 3.47 [sz_top 3.34 / RAD 3.46]), the call was correct.* At the time of the ejection, the Cardinals were leading, 5-4. The Cardinals ultimately won the contest, 5-4.

  

This is Brennan Miller (55)'s 2nd ejection of 2025.

*This pitch was located 1.02 vertical inches from being deemed incorrect.

This is the 99th ejection report of the 2025 MLB regular season.

This is the 54th manager ejection of 2025. Ejection Tally: 54 Managers, 15 Coaches, 30 Players.

This is St Louis' 4th ejection of 2025, 1st in the NL Central (CHC 6; PIT, STL 4; CIN 3; MIL 2).

This is Oliver Marmol's 4th ejection of 2025, 1st since May 23 (Ron Kulpa; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Brennan Miller's 2nd ejection of 2025, 1st since March 31 (Rickie Weeks; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

Box: Atlanta Braves vs St Louis Cardinals, 7/13/25 | Video as follows:

MLB Ejection 098 - Tripp Gibson (2; John Schneider)

HP Umpire Tripp Gibson ejected Blue Jays manager John Schneider (Replay Review decision that upheld 3B Umpire Brian Walsh's foul ball [no home run] call) in the top of the 5th inning of the #BlueJays-#Athletics game. With two outs and none on, Blue Jays batter Davis Schneider hit a 0-0 cutter from A's pitcher Jeffrey Springs for a fly ball beyond the left field corner, out of the playing field in air, originally ruled a foul ball by 3B Umpire Walsh and upheld as foul/no HR ("call stands") as a result of a challenge by Blue Jays manager Schneider. Replays do not conclusively present clear and convincing evidence to suggest whether this ball was foul or fair, the call was correct.* At the time of the ejection, the A's were leading, 4-0. The A's ultimately won the contest, 6-3.

  

This is Tripp Gibson (73)'s 2nd ejection of 2025.

*The Replay Official's decision of call stands was correct.

This is the 98th ejection report of the 2025 MLB regular season.

This is the 53rd manager ejection of 2025. Ejection Tally: 53 Managers, 15 Coaches, 30 Players.

This is Toronto's 4th ejection of 2025, 3rd in the AL East (NYY 8; BOS 6; TOR 4; BAL, TB 3).

This is John Schneider's 2nd ejection of 2025, 1st since April 27 (Chris Conroy; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Tripp Gibson's 2nd ejection of 2025, 1st since June 17 (Dave Roberts; QOC = U [Warnings]).

Box: Toronto Blue Jays vs Sacramento Athletics, 7/13/25 | Video as follows:

Red Sox Score Tie-Breaking Run on Obstruction vs Rays

3B Umpire Scott Barry's obstruction call on Rays third baseman Junior Caminero for base blocking broke a 0-0 tie, giving Boston a lead when Red Sox runner Marcelo Mayer found himself seemingly picked off by Tampa Bay catcher Matt Thaiss, only for umpire Barry to quickly reverse course and rule that Caminero impeded baserunner Mayer's return to third base due to improper footing.

The Official Baseball Rules define obstruction as "the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner."

Although Rays fielder Caminero was indeed in the act of fielding at the time of obstruction (by virtue of preparing to receive the throw), umpires ruled that he did not need to block the base in order to do so. Because Caminero blocked the base voluntarily and outside the scope of simply fielding the ball/throw, obstruction was the proper call.

Official Baseball Rule 6.01(h)(1) prescribes the penalty for Type 1 (Type B) obstruction: "If a play is being made on the obstructed runner, or if the batter-runner is obstructed before they touch first base...the obstructed runner shall be awarded at least one base beyond the base they had last legally touched before the obstruction." This is why baserunner R3 Mayer scored, rather than remained at third base.

Umpire Barry initially stated "stay here" in regard to Mayer's slide back into third base, as HP Umpire Adam Beck walked up the line, the umpires ultimately applying the proper ruling in OBR 6.01(h)(1) to award the runner his next base.

Video as follows: