J. T. Realmuto was racing on the base path when an unexpected obstacle nearly disrupted the Philadelphia Phillies’ big inning. Justin Crawford’s three-run triple sent Realmuto home, even after second-base umpire Paul Clemons came in the way of the baserunners. The bizarre moment drew immediate reaction from the broadcast, with New York Keith Hernandez not holding back while watching the replay.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“Well, Realmuto almost got tripped by the umpire. And now, Mr. Clemons… Get out of the base path,” Hernandez could be heard in the clip uploaded by Phillies Tailgate. “I mean, come on. You don’t belong there. Go back to umpiring school.”
The Phillies entered the top of the 8th leading 4-2 against the New York Mets on Sunday. Reliever Kodai Senga retired Alec Bohm within just 2 pitches. But then he walked Bryson Stott, allowed a single to Brandon Marsh, and then walked Realmuto as well. Crawford walked in with the bases loaded. Senga threw a 96-mph fastball, and the Phillies hitter sent it across center. Crawford reached third after Stott, Marsh, and Realmuto made it home.
But there was something quite unusual during the play.
Clemons, while having his eyes on home plate, positioned himself between first and second base. Realmuto was sprinting from first, and he almost tripped over the umpire. While he managed to stay on his feet and reach the next base, Crawford had to deviate from his path to avoid a collision. He had to take a few extra steps to reach the bag, and the Mets broadcaster wasn’t happy.
“You know officiating is bad when the broadcast team of the opposition team is having a go at them,” a fan commented on the clip. Both the fans and the broadcasting booth found no reason for the umpire to be in that position.
However, Hernandez’s criticism doesn’t mean that Clemons committed an umpire’s interference. MLB Rule 6.01(f) addresses interference involving a plate umpire hindering a catcher’s throw or a fair ball striking a base umpire before reaching the fielder. But it does not establish a general penalty if a runner simply makes contact with an umpire.
A Similar Umpire Collision Happened in 2023
Realmuto nearly tripping over the umpire during his run is a rare incident, but we have had similar instances before. Back in 2023, San Diego Padres runner Jake Cronenworth collided with second-base umpire Ryan Wills. During the game against the Chicago Cubs, Cronenworth was trying to reach second from first, and he fell on the ground after the collision. Nico Hoerner at second base completed the force out before the runner could get up and touch the bag.
The play was not ruled umpire interference, and the subsequent rules analysis stated that the no-call was correct. But the analyst also noted that Wills should have positioned himself a few feet further from the runner’s path.
The incident between the $45 million Phillies star and the second base umpire shadows the play from 2023. Fortunately, Realmuto didn’t fall or take down the umpire. And the three-run triple from Crawford allowed them to put up a 7-2 lead before the inning wrapped.
But that wasn’t the only heroic moment he pulled in that game.
In the bottom of the 8th, he recovered from an initial misread on a line drive off Bo Bichette. He took a sliding catch to restrict the Mets from adding any more runs on the scoreboard. Stott contributed further with a difficult defensive play in the same inning. The fly ball he grabbed while falling secured the second out.
The Phillies secured a 7-2 win against the Mets, and it was a good comeback after the 10-3 loss on Saturday. But they dropped the series 2-1, which restricted any further cushion in the Wild Card race. Philadelphia is currently occupying the last National League Wild Card spot. The Arizona Diamondbacks are 4.0 games behind them, with each having just 6 games remaining in the regular season.
The Philadelphia Phillies got the runs and the win on Sunday. But the odd collision became one of the most highlighted moments of the game. While the rules don’t offer a penalty, Keith Hernandez’s criticism shows how concerning the issue is.