Blue Jays manager calls out umpire after Red Sox loss

The Toronto Blue Jays (8-6) enjoyed a fruitful road trip to Fenway Park, but they leave with a bitter taste in their mouth following a 4-3 extra-innings loss to the Boston Red Sox (7-7). Actually, fans might go even farther than that, as many of them experienced extreme nausea while watching home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez liberally dictate the strike zone on Thursday.

Toronto failed to capitalize on multiple chances, as its offensive struggles continue, but the ballclub was also dealt a sizable amount of adversity from the veteran ump. The Jays communicated their displeasure throughout the game, but tempers were especially hot in the later innings.

While facing batter Davis Schneider, Red Sox relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock threw two balls clear above the strike zone in the eighth. They were both called strikes, delaying an eventual walk and mystifying the visitors’ dugout. In the next frame, Gonzalez called a ball on a Brendon Little sinker that appeared to just catch the zone. This was arguably the most defensible mistake, but it rewarded Jarren Duran first base (3-1 count) and resulted in runners on first and second with no outs. The tying run later scored on a wild pitch.

Then, in the bottom of the 10th, Nick Sandlin threw a nice sinker in the top corner of the zone against Triston Casas. What should have been the second out of the inning instead turned into a hit by pitch. Boston won the game a few minutes later after speedster David Hamilton scored on a Trevor Story grounder that was mishandled by three-time Gold Glove winner Andres Gimenez– it is unclear if he would have recorded the out before the runner crossed home anyway.

John Schneider speaks his mind after Blue Jays’ loss

The Blue Jays are forced to settle with taking three out of four games versus their American League East rival, but they might need a minute before moving on to the Baltimore Orioles. Manager John Schneider bluntly expressed his dissatisfaction with Manny Gonzalez’s performance.

“It’s tough to battle nine hitters and an umpire,” he said, per MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. “I’ve got all the respect in the world for them, but it wasn’t a great day for him behind the plate.”

Human error has been an element of baseball that people have largely tolerated, but the emerging Automated Ball-Strike system might soon put an end to it. The technology was implemented in spring training, and as blunders pile up, its inclusion in MLB action seems inevitable.

There is no point in Schneider and company dwelling on ABS now, however. They must get all the anger out of their system and figure out a way to provide more run support for their red-hot pitching staff. The Blue Jays and Orioles begin a three-game set Friday night in Camden Yards.