Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jake Mangum (28) looks on before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Rays' Jake Mangum Tops Unflattering List

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Don Strouble | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 11:38 AM ET

Umpires are human and prone to mistakes—15,820 so far this season. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Jake Mangum, he fell victim to the worst strikeout call of all.

In an early June series against the Texas Rangers, Mangum was in a 1-2 situation against Rangers right-hander Tyler Mahle with Tampa Bay up 1-0. Mahle delivered a slider way outside, leaving Mangum to watch in disbelief when umpire Las Díaz, a 25-year veteran of his post, called it a strike.

Tampa Bay’s 29-year-old rookie bent over with his hands on his knees before walking toward the dugout, seemingly mouthing “no way.” The incident landed in the No. 1 spot on Umpire Auditor’s top 10 worst called strikeouts of the first half of the season.

Umpires missed 15,820 calls during the first half.

These were the 10 worst called strikeouts: pic.twitter.com/WCryglhTJL
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) July 17, 2025

It isn’t the first time Díaz has drawn the ire of the baseball community for missing a call. After his horrendous call sent Mangum back to the dugout, Díaz was lambasted by Sports Illustrated’s Andy Nesbitt for missing several calls in a later game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

It's not the first time Nesbitt has blasted Díaz. He did the same in 2023.

“Laz Díaz is one of the umpires in Major League Baseball that fans know all too well. That isn’t a good thing for an umpire because if you’re good at your job, you should go virtually unnoticed for your entire career,” Nesbitt wrote. “That can’t be said for Díaz, who is right up there with Ángel Hernandez for being the worst ump in professional baseball.”

Fans have been eagerly awaiting the implementation of the Automated Ball-Strike System, or ABS, in the Majors. It’s something that has been available at the minor league level, and it made its way to the All-Star Game this week.

In a Monday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said that the All-Star Game would serve as a major test for the introduction of the ABS during the 2026 season. If true, Jake Mangum and others should no longer suffer because of Díaz and other umpires.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Rays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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