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Giants ticked at Hunter Wendlestedt’s umpiring crew for mocking behavior
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- Giants ticked at Hunter Wendlestedt’s umpiring crew for mocking behavior
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The San Francisco Giants were left frustrated following a controversial sequence in their 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday, with much of the anger directed at umpire Hunter Wendelstedt and his crew. The incident centered on a disputed play in the second inning involving Heliot Ramos , whose deep drive to center field appeared to strike a catwalk at Tropicana Field before dropping into Cedric Mullins ' glove.
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By rule, balls hitting the lower catwalks in fair territory are considered home runs. Statcast initially measured the hit at 424 feet, backing up San Francisco 's argument that it should have counted. Players also pointed to Mullins' reaction, first drifting toward the wall before abruptly charging inward, as evidence the ball deflected unexpectedly. Despite a review, umpires allowed the out call to stand, wiping two runs off the board.
Tensions escalated quickly. Pitcher Adrian Houser, who was on the bench, was ejected after making a gesture toward second-base umpire Vic Carapazza, indicating he should have tracked the play more closely. Houser stated he did not use any language warranting ejection. Shortly after, pitching director Frank Anderson was also tossed, resulting in a rare double ejection.
The situation intensified due to Wendelstedt's conduct. He reportedly directed remarks such as "Who do you think you are?" toward Anderson, and the crew allegedly mocked both Anderson and manager Tony Vitello over their college backgrounds. Lip readers also interpreted Wendelstedt using explicit language during the ejections, which quickly circulated online.
The latest episode drags Wendelstedt back into the spotlight of controversy. He previously drew criticism for ejecting Aaron Boone during a matchup versus the Athletics without verbal provocation a few years ago. Moreover, he missed 22 calls in a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins earlier this season.
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The Giants are expected to formally raise concerns about both the disputed call and the umpiring crew's behavior when filing reports with the league.
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