Things really flared up in the Subway Series showdown at Citi Field, and it had nothing to do with fireworks, sadly. At the bottom of the second inning, the game was tied up 2-2, and tension was brewing in the New York Mets’ dugout. And Carlos Mendoza and his entire crew were clearly not fans of home plate umpire Mike Estabrook’s strike zone. One could practically even feel the frustration that was radiating from the bench, even if not every word said was caught.

You could see just how heated things were. When Juan Soto stares down the umpire, you know it’s serious.

Then things got spicy, and a hot mic caught Estabrook firing back at them, saying, “I’ll tell you what. You do that, and I’ll do this. That’s how it’s going to be! That’s how it’s going to be!” 

That line was pure fire, and given the mic caught everything. The New York Mets fans simply lost it, branding Estabrook as a horrible person and calling out Mendoza for letting the outburst loose. People got into debating if it was fair for the dugout to challenge the zone so vocally, or was Estabrook just simply crossing the line? Either way, the moment added a whole new layer to the day’s drama.

Now every year, the Subway Series carries a little more juice, but this event was something else. Not the bench or mound, but even the umpire found himself in the spotlight. And, fans are not letting this error slide.

Calls for MLB robot-umps grow louder after Mike Estabrook’s latest blunder

One fan summed the frustration perfectly. According to him, the job done is simply bad, and maybe robo-umps can come sooner and end the misery. “Ump show. Dude sucks at his job and has thin sensitive skin when he hears about it. What a joke. Robo umps can’t come soon enough,” the fan said. After years of testing in the minors, the league rolled out the Automated Ball Strike system in spring training with a challenge format. Umpires still make the initial call, but teams can challenge twice per game. Now, robo-umps could be aiding strike zones by 2026.

One fan didn’t hold back, going as far as to say, “Horrible umpire, both sides agreed.” This is not the first time this error has happened. And fans have not forgotten June 10. This is when Estabrook called a clear ball a strike against Manny Machado in extras. Machado was stunned and turned to argue, too, and the moment went viral thanks to Estabrook’s chest camera. Even then, no ejection followed, almost like he knew he missed the call. That strikeout might have just changed the entire inning for the San Diego Padres, and it left fans fuming.

​One person pointed out what many were thinking. “He’s been inconsistent all game for both teams’ pitchers.” And it’s hard to argue with that. During the Boston Red Sox and Mets game, where there was a tight battle, umpire Mike Estabrook blew a clear strike call on Walker Buehler. The two-time all-star just lost it, and so did Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Both ended up getting tossed out of the game. Fans were not just mad; they were mostly fed up. Many felt that the umpire’s call changed the game completely.

Another fan had a simple verdict: “Consistently awful.” And there is a clear frustration among fans with umpires and the errors that have been happening. Because they have been the heart of many blown calls lately, from CB Bucknor missing a jaw-dropping 28 pitches in one Reds–Cardinals game to Angel Hernández being called out as “one of baseball’s worst.” So with every error piling up, fans are growing louder with complaints. And, the demands of more people wanting robo-umps are growing louder.