WATCH: Ump Caught Swearing on Hot Mic During Padres-Giants Game
A Major League Baseball umpire accidentally was heard dropping an expletive over the loud speakers at Oracle Park in San Francisco Tuesday night in the Giants' game against the San Diego Padres.
In the top of the second inning, Padres' first baseman Brandon Drury grounded into an inning-ending double play, or so it seemed.
Moments later, Padres' manager Bob Melvin opted to challenge the ruling on the field.
First base umpire Adrian Johnson announced over the stadium's loud speakers that San Diego would challenge the out call at first base.
After looking over the play, the call on the field was overturned. Johnson took to the microphone to announce the decision.
"After review," Johnson said. "Oh (expletive). After review, the call on the field is overturned. The runner is safe. San Diego retains their challenge."
It appears that Johnson believed his microphone wasn't on. His use of profanity appears to have come after he began speaking and then realizing he needed to turn on his mic. However, his microphone was already on, and his four-letter word was heard by tens of thousands at Oracle Park, along with hundreds of thousands of fans watching at home.
Umpires began wearing microphones and announcing challenges, as well as the results of challenges, in 2021. It was an attempt by Major League Baseball to establish more transparency between its umps and its fans. MLB did not expect that an umpire would be this transparent, though.
National Football League referees have been using microphones since 1975. In a 2021 game, a referee was caught on a hot mic saying, "Let's just say it was this."
