New York Yankees outfielder Harrison Bader benefitted from an awful call during Sunday’s game against the Boston Red Sox, and it would be almost impossible for him to deny it.
Bader was at bat in the second inning with a 0-2 count against Red Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta. Catcher Reese McGuire came out of his crouch to call for a high fastball, but Pivetta missed the target and threw the ball right down the middle of the plate.
Because McGuire had to reach down for the pitch, home plate umpire Junior Valentine was fooled into thinking it missed the strike zone. Bader knew it was a strike and took three steps toward the dugout before realizing Valentine had called the pitch a ball.
This call was so bad even Harrison Bader thought he struck out and starting walking back to the dugout pic.twitter.com/NRguGXCw9J
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 20, 2023
Bader ended up striking out, so the bad call did not cost the Red Sox. However, Bader clearly got an extra strike in that at-bat and knew it.
