Oakland Athletics’ Kyle McCann was ruled out at home plate after neglecting to touch the base and subsequently making contact with a teammate who had already crossed the plate.
The bizarre play transpired during the second inning of the Athletics’ 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, leaving players and umpires alike in disbelief.
As McCann rounded third base on Max Schuemann’s RBI double, he stumbled and failed to step on the plate, prompting teammate Armando Alvarez, who had already scored, to instinctively reach out and steady him.
However, this assistance resulted in an out call, as players are not permitted to aid each other while still in the process of running the bases.
The play was reviewed and confirmed, ending the inning and capping a peculiar sequence of events that left both teams scratching their heads.
“I’ve never witnessed anything like it,” remarked Angels manager Ron Washington, a veteran of half a century in professional baseball. “There was no need to miss the plate; it was a straightforward play.”
The umpires concurred, with crew chief Alan Porter stating, “The runner failed to touch home plate on his way by, and then he was assisted by the runner who scored. That makes him out.” Porter, an MLB umpire since 2010, acknowledged that he had never seen a similar play in his career.
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay attributed the error to a mental lapse, emphasizing the need for his team to refine their game. “It’s a mental error more than a physical error,” Kotsay said.
“These are things we need to clean up.” The unusual play served as a turning point in the game, in the long run contributing to the Athletics’ defeat.