Umpiring controversies are nothing new in MLB. Fans have grown accustomed to the occasional missed call or questionable judgment. But what baffles many is when the replay system, designed to correct such errors, fails to deliver justice. That’s exactly what unfolded on Sunday during the clash between the Red Sox and the Giants.
In a pivotal moment, Jarren Duran clearly beat the tag and touched the bag, confirmed by the replay. Yet, even after review, the call on the field inexplicably stood. When the Sox manager Alex Cora and Duran voiced their frustrations, they were both ejected.
But Cora was having none of it. He publicly called out the umpires postgame. “He was safe. Clearly. He said he was off the line, and I asked like, how?” the manager said.
Alex Cora doubles down on the call that Jarren Duran was ruled out on
“He [was] safe. Clearly.” pic.twitter.com/EFVmVKehNW
— NESN (@NESN) June 22, 2025
Well, it all started when the Red Sox were down 8-5 in the bottom of the eighth at Oracle Park. Duran gave them a spark with what looked like a sure double to right field. While he reached second base easily, he overshot the bag for just a moment. That’s when Giants shortstop Willy Adames tagged his hand.
It looked like Duran had gotten his hand back on the bag before the tag, but after review, the call stood. And that was enough for Duran to exchange words with the umpire on his way back to the dugout, resulting in his ejection. It was then that Cora came out to defend his player and ended up getting ejected, too. Well, eventually the Red Sox couldn’t recover and lost 9-5.
Apart from Cora and Duran, others were equally surprised about the call. “Everyone can see the still-shot on the big board with the glove above his hand and the finger on the corner of the bag. What is the point of replay?” Former Red Sox slugger Will Middlebrooks reacted.
However, apart from the umpiring error, the loss against the Giants can also be attributed to the Red Sox’s defense.
The Red Sox’s defense struggled again
Well, the Red Sox have been shooting themselves in the foot with their defense all season, leading the majors with 66 errors heading into Sunday. Through 79 games this season, they have allowed a jaw-dropping 49 unearned runs, second only to the struggling Rockies, who’ve given up 59.
Sunday’s series finale in San Francisco was just another chapter in their defensive woes. One glaring moment came in the seventh inning. The Sox were hanging on to a slim 5-4 lead when things started to unravel. A single, a double, and a sacrifice fly tied the game, but they were just one out away from keeping things level.
That’s when Mike Yastrzemski hit a line drive right at Romy Gonzalez, who was making only his second start of the year at second base. It looked like an easy catch, and Gonzalez even had it in his glove momentarily. But the ball popped out and rolled into right field, letting the go-ahead run score. Post that, the wheels came off, and the Giants tacked on two more runs.
Just when the AL East is getting more intense than ever, faltering defense might cost the Red Sox a wild-card berth. Currently ranked 4th in the division with a 40-39 record, it might just not be enough to get through October.
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