The Toronto Blue Jays weren’t the only ones having a terrible day on the field during Game 2 of the ALCS.
It turns out that home-plate umpire Doug Eddings had a near-historically bad outing as well.
According to pitch-tracking data used by the Hawk-Eye tracking system, Eddings’ accuracy on calling balls and strikes during Monday evening’s game at Rogers Centre was the worst in an MLB playoff game since 2016 and was the third worst of any game called this year.
As posted by Reddit user rockpilemike, Eddings was correct on just 86.63% of his calls, going 162/187.
The previous playoff games with an accuracy percentage that low came in 2016, with Laz Diaz at 85.25% and Brian Gorman at 86.05%.
Only Adrian Johnson and Jen Pawol had called less-accurate games this season at 82.31% and 86.01%, respectively.
MLB announced last month that next season it will be integrating the Automated Balls and Strikes system, which utilizes Hawk-Eye tracking, into manager’s challenges.
Social media account Umpire Scorecards — which takes into account an umpire’s estimated strike zone as opposed to the hyper-accurate Hawk-Eye — showed that Eddings’ overall accuracy was 91% and 2.4% below average. His overall consistency with his own estimated strike zone was well off too, at just 90%, roughly 4% below league average.
http://twitter.com/UmpScorecards/status/1978106129398775918
According to Umpire Scorecards, Eddings’ estimated strike zone barely included the lower portion of the strike zone while also skewing much higher than usual and to the left side of the plate.
At least Edding’s lack of accuracy wasn’t one-sided towards either team. In fact, his calls actually benefited the Jays more than the Mariners by an expected +0.24 runs.
This isn’t the first time that Eddings had been involved in a rules controversy with the Jays. Last month, Eddings was behind the plate when a bases-loaded line drive by George Springer was ruled foul when it appeared to go over third base. While the Jays argued, Eddings confirmed that the play was not reviewable.
Springer would strike out on the next pitch, ending the inning.
Monday’s shoddy work was clearly a topic among the Jays, both in the dugout and in the clubhouse following the game.
“Man, that’s not why we lost the game, I don’t think,” manager John Schneider said following the game, while praising his young starter for how he handled the adversity. “But it could change some momentum a little bit. But I thought he handled it well.
“He did not really budge. I feel like him (catcher Alejandro Kirk, infielder Addison Barger and Vlad Guerrero as well as Randy Arozarena) they were all waiting to throw the ball around. He didn’t budge and that’s kind of been consistent with what he has been since he’s been up here.”
When asked how difficult it was when calls weren’t going away, Yesavage attempted to shrug off Eddings’ work.
“It is what it is at the end of the day,” the rookie said. “Got to make better pitches late in the count there. Can’t be hitting a guy 3-2 so that’s on me.”
But what about when Arozarena started walking towards the dugout after he thought he had been struck out?
“You got to find a way to reset,” Yesavage said. “Sometimes it’s a hitter zone, sometimes it’s a pitcher zone. But it’s up to the pitcher to adapt to that and pitch to whatever the zone is that day.”
–With files from Rob Longley