Regular-season mistakes get absorbed by 162 games. Playoff blunders echo forever. And so, in Game 2 of the NLDS between the Cubs and the Brewers, an error not from the players but from behind the home plate has ignited the Brewers fans.

In the second inning with the score knotted at 3-3, Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby delivered what appeared to be a textbook strike to Cubs hitter Matt Shaw. However, Mike Estabrook, who was behind the plate, stayed down, calling it a ball. What should have been a strike became the topic of discussion among MLB enthusiasts.

The reaction was immediate and volcanic.

Milwaukee fans flooded social media platforms, dissecting the missed call frame by frame. Screenshots circulated showing the pitch squarely in the strike zone according to tracking data. The frustration wasn’t just about one call—it was about timing and the high stakes.

But it’s not something happening for the first time between the two clubs.

On June 19, 2025, at Wrigley Field, fans saw the Brewers win 8–7 in a close regular-season game. There, an umpire made some “pretty bad calls,” as Trevor Megill recalled it. People in Milwaukee remember that game as one where the team overcame problems in the strike zone. But when there is a contentious call in the playoffs, it brings up the outrage.

And there were other games, too. Remember back in May 2025?

Estabrook made a call in a Red Sox–Mets game that caused a lot of talk. He called what replays showed was a borderline pitch over the inner edge a ball. That call got Walker Buehler and manager Alex Cora thrown out of the game.

While those were regular-season games, now, we are into the division series. So, obviously, the stakes are higher!

But despite the blown call, the Brewers demonstrated resilience. By the bottom of the sixth inning, Milwaukee had seized control and had a 7-3 lead. Their bats answered, turning frustration into fuel. Thanks to Andrew Vaughn’s 3-run homer and Contreras’s homer.

Yet, fans watching from American Family Field and living rooms are not shying away from calling out the decision.

Voices of fury questioning the umpire

The aftermath on social media revealed the depth of Milwaukee’s frustration, with supporters expressing everything from bewilderment to outright accusations of bias. The historical context between these franchises amplified the first wave of criticism.

When one fan wrote, “How do you miss this call? Every time the @Brewers play the @Cubs this happens,” they captured a sentiment extending beyond Monday’s game. This fan recalled the June 19 game.

The elevated stakes of playoff baseball separate October from the regular season. And so, another fan declared, “This CANNOT happen in a playoff game.” Umpires have higher expectations during the elimination period, and these errors can cost the game. The pitch tracking data indicated that Ashby’s delivery to Shaw with a full count (4-2) went straight into the middle column of the strike zone. So, the erroneous call even led to glimpses of sarcasm with a grit.

One comment reads, “The home plate umpire showing his Cubs jersey after the game is over.”  The Brew Crew was clearly not happy, and they aren’t hiding away from stating that it was a biased decision. While there’s no evidence supporting claims of bias or misconduct, the intensity reveals how deeply fans invest in fairness.

Another calculative remark said, “The @Brewers should already be out of this inning. Thanks ump.” This comment got to the heart of baseball: Outs decide innings, innings decide games, and games decide seasons. Shaw’s at-bat should have ended, but the missed call kept the Cubs’ surge going. While this time, the Brewers didn’t give them a chance to hit, you never know how a single swing can be a game-changer.

Then there was a direct question about the man behind the plate’s ethics. “Chicago getting every edge. Milwaukee not getting a single one. Is it that hard for an umpire to be ethical!?” This perspective questions not just Estabrook’s accuracy but his credibility as an umpire.

Milwaukee’s offense surged despite the controversial call. However, brought up baseball’s never-ending debate: How long will these errors go on that might cost teams opportunities in October?