The Boston Red Sox took on the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, and fans certainly took notice of one strike call from home-plate umpire Bruce Dreckman that may be a contender for one of the worst calls of the season.
Veteran third baseman Justin Turner came up to the plate for the Red Sox in the top of the fourth inning, and was unfortunately on the receiving end of an egregious strike three call on a pitch that would have been close to hitting Turner if he were in the other batter’s box…
Turner began to take off his shin guards as he prepared to walk to first base on what should have been ball four. But Dreckman had other plans, and the Red Sox broadcast of the game on NESN was left dumbfounded by the call.
Justin Turner strikes out looking on a pitch nowhere close, as seen and heard on the NESN Red Sox broadcast. ⚾️👮♂️🎙️ pic.twitter.com/QYIwHHUhKa
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 16, 2023
Even the Nationals broadcasters on MASN were left speechless by the call, going on to call it “awful”.
Even the MASN (Nats) broadcast couldn't believe the strike 3 call on Justin Turner.
"Oh my goodness… That is awful." ⚾️👮♂️ 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/ytZZmEa7cy
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 16, 2023
Fans largely agreed with just how brutal this call was from Dreckman, and many think that all Turner can do in this situation is laugh about what just happened to him.
Justin Turner had to laugh at this strike call 😬pic.twitter.com/DcXnxdOxkx
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) August 16, 2023
Justin Turner just struck out on this pitch…looking. pic.twitter.com/3A46o1Mnb8
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) August 16, 2023
Justin Turner strikes out looking on a pitch way out of the zone 🤦♂️pic.twitter.com/SE4S1sJzq1
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) August 16, 2023
Kudos to Justin Turner for not throwing hands. pic.twitter.com/EGEn0BXWQS
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) August 16, 2023
A CALLED strike 3 on pitch #10 to Justin Turner might be the singular worst call I’ve ever seen in my life. Holy Crap!!! pic.twitter.com/7UoGuDKKav
— Boston Sports Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) August 16, 2023
I mean, come on. pic.twitter.com/ZLF0JU3Peh
— Mac Cerullo (@MacCerullo) August 16, 2023
Umpires have undoubtedly been under a microscope on each call this season as talks of robot umpires being implemented by the league have been circulating. Most of the time, fans get upset about calls that are borderline strikes, and can be debated either way.
That is not the case in this at-bat, as there is really no debate about just how brutal of a call this was. And calls like this will make it even easier for fans to continue to ask for robot umpires in the MLB as soon as possible.
