After Phillies’ Manager Dave Roberts Is Ejected After Obstruction Call, A Rules Debate Rages On

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was ejected from a game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday for arguing a defensive obstruction call in the sixth inning. Los Angeles went on to lose 9-4, but Roberts believes that the blown call could have made a difference.

“He got it wrong,” Roberts said after the game. “That’s just a fact. Umpiring is hard. They do a great job. Tonight, that play affected the game.”

The play in question occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Phillies were trailing 4-3. Alec Bohm led off with a double, and Brandon Marsh laid down a bunt in an attempt to advance him to third.

At first, it appeared that the Dodgers managed to pull off a flawless wheel play, with shortstop Miguel Rojas running to third to tag Bohm out on a throw from charging third baseman Kiké Hernandez. Hunter Wendelstedt saw the play differently, however, arguing that Rojas obstructed Bohm’s path to the base without the ball. Both runners were safe, and Philadelphia went on to score five runs in the inning.

Crew chief Marvin Hudson stood by Wendelstedt’s assessment after the game.

“He was in front of the bag without the ball,” Hudson said. “And that’s the new obstruction rule. Plus, he was running in front of him to third. He was in front of third without the ball, so he obstructed the runner. The runner didn’t have a lane to get to the bag.”

Rojas and Roberts argued that the throw from Hernandez beat Bohm to the bag by a considerable distance, giving the shortstop plenty of time to apply a tag before he could obstruct the runner. While MLB officials have spent a lot of time determining the exact rules concerning the obstruction rule at home plate, calls at other bases have been less frequent.

“I’m aware of the rule,” Rojas said after the game. “I’m not trying to block the bag. I’m not trying to [get] anybody hurt. I’m not trying to hurt the other player, or be in the way, just because I think that’s my only way to get him out. I’m just trying to make a tag. And if you see the replay, he definitely hit my foot, but my foot is kind of like on the other side of the bag.”

The Dodgers, once in firm control of the N.L. West division, have gone on a skid and are now just three games ahead of the Diamondbacks and Padres. The Phillies, who are slowly recovering from a similarly poor stretch, still hold a comfortable lead over the Mets and Braves in the N.L. East.