Nationals manager Davey Martinez demand ‘fix’ to basepaths rule after controversial loss

We had ourselves some good old-fashioned controversy in Houston on Wednesday night, as the Astros edged the Washington Nationals on a wild play in the bottom of the ninth inning. With the score tied, the bases loaded and one out, Jake Meyers hit a grounder to Nats shortstop CJ Abrams. Abrams successfully threw home to cut down the potential winning run, but when catcher Keibert Ruiz attempted to get Meyers at first for a potential inning-ending double play, things went off the rails.

Ruiz’s throw hit Meyers in the back and caromed into right field, allowing Jose Abreu to come all the way around from second and steal a win for Houston. The problem? It certainly looked like Meyers was running on the infield side of the first-base line to give Ruiz less of an angle for a successful throw. At least Washington manager Davey Martinez certainly thought so, even printing out a snapshot of the play in question like he was trying to crack the Kennedy assassination:

“There it is right there,” Martinez told reporters. “Take a look at it. Is that on the line? I don’t think so. I’m over this play. Seriously. They need to fix the rule. If this is what the umpire sees that he’s running down the line, I’m tired of it. I’m tired of it. Fix it. We lost the game, and he had nothing to say about it because he can’t make the right call. Brutal.”

For the record, here’s how Rule 5.09a reads in the official MLB rulebook:

To wit: Meyers isn’t allowed to step outside the baseline unless it’s “for the sole purpose of touching first base”. It’s tough to tell from the broadcast angle, but Meyers does seem to have at least his left foot outside that line as he makes his way down to first.

In Martinez’s defense, he has plenty of reason to be “tired of it” — especially at Minute Maid Park. You may recall Martinez getting tossed during Game 6 of the 2019 World Series when then-Nationals shortstop Trea Turner was called out on a similar play.

In baseball, time really is a flat circle.