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The Tampa Bay Rays are in second place in the American League East. They came into Cincinnati on Friday night expecting to win. However, things didn't go according to plan.
The Rays lost to the Cincinnati Reds 2-1 on a walk-off balk called in the 10th inning. It was the first time the Rays had ever lost on a walk-off balk and the first time since 2018 that any team lost in that fashion.
The loss wasted a dominant start by Shane McClanahan. The 25-year-old threw six innings of ball, allowing a run on three hits and striking out eight.
The incident happened when Rays reliever Matt Wisler was preparing to throw a 1-2 pitch to Reds outfielder Tyler Naquin. While Wisler was preparing to come set, the umpire pointed to the mound before motioning for the runner on third to come home.
“I don’t know what the ump saw, whether it was a flinch or what but that’s how I routinely set up. Only time I’ve been called for a balk is on pick off at first,” Wisler told reporters following the game.
“I don’t think that was the right call in that situation,” McClanahan added.
Rays manager Kevin Cash admitted he wasn't looking at Wisler when it happened. He spoke to the umpires about the call.
“Talking to Edwin (Moscoso) at home plate and also the second base umpire Lance Barrett, they said that he flinched and that it was a balk,” Cash recalled.
“We were all surprised,” Cash continued. “You don't expect to end a ball game like that.”
McClanahan expects to be named to the American League All-Star team on Sunday. The 25-year-old has pitched to a 9-3 record with a 1.73 ERA. He's racked up 141 strikeouts in 104.1 innings pitched this season.
