The Chicago White Sox, owners of MLB's worst record, innovated on the science of losing yet again on Thursday. Though to be fair, they had some help from the umpires.
Down 8-6 against the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago had a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth inning when Andrew Benintendi came to the plate with two runners on base and one out. Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel managed to get him to hit a pop-up with a high fastball.
Benintendi was out before the ball landed in shortstop Gunnar Henderson's glove via the infield fly rule, which should have been the second out for the White Sox. It wound up being the third as well, when baserunner Andrew Vaughn was called out for interference.
Interference, on an infield fly.
Both White Sox manager Pedro Grifol and the White Sox broadcasters had some harsh words for the decision:
Andrew Vaughn is called for interference after an infield fly rule. An Absolutely BRUTAL call to end the game.... pic.twitter.com/AyhCWwiHeY
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) May 24, 2024
Replay didn't really help explain what the umpire saw. Vaughn can be seen looking up at the pop fly and slowly shuffling back to second base, with his back turned to Henderson the whole time. Henderson has to take a step to the right to avoid running into an unaware Vaughn, but still reaches the ball's destination with multiple seconds to spare.
Vaughn was confused after the game:
"So I was reading the play. Saw the pop-up. Knew it was an infield fly. Read it and started to shuffle back and then he kind of breezed by me on the right side. He went and made the play, and then the umpire called me out.
"I didn't feel like he was deterred from making the play. It was a high pop-up, we were all reading it ... My back's turned to the shortstop, I don't know where he's at."
By the most strict letter of the law, the play could be seen as interfering with a fielder, as an infield fly is not a dead ball.
From the MLB rulebook:
"Rule 6.01(a) Penalty for Interference Comment: A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not."
And later:
"[An infield fly] is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul."
However they got there, it's another loss for the White Sox, who now sit at 15-36 in a season with few expecations.
