KANSAS CITY, Mo.— Not that they needed it, but the Yankees didn’t get much help from the umpires in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the Royals in Game 3 of the ALDS that put them a win away from the ALCS.
First, the Yankees seemingly missed out on a great chance to take the lead in the top of the third, as Gleyber Torres’ flare down the right field line was ruled foul by right field umpire Ryan Blakney, who was only a few feet away from the play.
The call was reviewed but not overturned, despite one replay angle showing the chalk of the foul line possibly being hit.
The play occurred with Oswaldo Cabrera at first and two out against Seth Lugo at Kauffman Stadium.
The speedy Cabrera almost certainly would have scored on the play, but the replay official did not see an angle that definitively showed the ball hitting the line.
“We thought it was super close,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I don’t know if there’s more angles or whatever. It felt like looking up there [at the video board], that one angle — gun to my head, I’m saying it’s touching the line, but you probably also realize that this may be standing, too.”
The game remained scoreless and Torres flied out to the warning track in right to end the inning.
Gleyber Torres’ hit was ruled foul.
After the Yankees later blew what was a two-run leaf when Clarke Schmidt allowed a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, they saw another potential rally cut short by a debatable call, this one from first base ump Mark Carlson.
With Juan Soto on first and two out, Aaron Judge worked a full count against Brady Singer.
Singer’s final pitch of the at-bat was outside the strike zone and Judge started to swing, but the pitch was called a ball and Judge prepared to walk to first.
But Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez asked to check with Carlson, who ruled Judge went around for a third strike to end the inning.
New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) and second base Gleyber Torres (25) watch a review in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Kauffman Stadium. Jay Biggerstaff -Imagn ImagesAgain, replays showed Judge probably didn’t swing at the pitch and should have ended up at first base, with Soto at second and Austin Wells at the plate.
It hasn’t all been bad luck for the Yankees, as in Game 1, they may have caught a break with the replay system, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. could have been called out on a stolen base attempt, but the safe call was upheld.
Chisholm then scored the go-ahead run on an Alex Verdugo single that proved to be the difference in the game.
