Veteran MLB umpire Mike Muchlinski went viral on social media for his sense of humor after he got one of his strike zone calls challenged.
Muchlinski was the home plate umpire for Tuesday’s spring training contest between the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium in Peoria, Ariz. Angels pinch hitter Carter Kieboom led off the 7th inning against Padres reliever Omar Cruz.
Cruz’s 2-2 pitch was an 81-mph changeup down and away that appeared to just barely miss the strike zone. Padres catcher Brett Sullivan felt the borderline pitch was worth contesting using the ABS challenge system that MLB has been testing out in spring training.
The system ultimately ruled that Muchlinski’s call was accurate, which seemingly surprised the umpire himself. He announced the verdict in a hilariously self-deprecating way.
“The call is surprisingly correct,” Muchlinski said.
Both the fans in attendance and the broadcasters in the booth were in stitches over Muchlinski’s announcement. The ball was, in fact, just an inch off the plate.
After getting his full count affirmed, Kieboom fouled off the next pitch and then hit a single right at the pitcher. But he got called out at second base after trying to stretch his single into a double.
While the ABS challenge system is being tested this spring, MLB is not implementing it during the regular season just yet. Fans will have to wait a bit longer for moments like the ones above to happen when the games actually matter.
