Dave Roberts Blasts Umpire After Rare Ejection in Dodgers’ Loss

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 8, 2024

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

An "egregious" obstruction call in the sixth inning of Wednesday night's game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies led to the first ejection of the season for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

Rojas appeared to have applied the tag on Bohm's left leg before he reached the base but third-base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt signaled for obstruction.

Dave Roberts on Hunter Wendelstedt's call:

"it was an egregious missed call. It needs to be reviewable. It changed the complexion of the game. He got it wrong."

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— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) August 8, 2024

"He got it wrong," Roberts said after the game. "That's just a fact. Umpiring is hard. They do a great job. Tonight, that play affected the game."

Crew chief Marvin Hudson spoke on Wendelstedt's behalf Wednesday night.

"(Miguel Rojas) was in front of the bag without the ball,” Hudson explained to a pool reporter after the game. "And that’s the new obstruction rule. Plus, he was running in front of him to third. He was in front of third without the ball, so he obstructed the runner. The runner didn’t have a lane to get to the bag."

Roberts and Rojas disagreed with the call and vocalized their thoughts after the 9-4 loss.

“It was an egregious missed call,” Roberts said. “That changed the game.”

The Dodgers entered that inning leading 4-3, the obstruction call led to a five-run outburst for the Phillies.

"I’m aware of the rule. I’m not trying to block the bag,” Rojas said. “I’m not trying to [get] anybody hurt. I’m not trying to hurt the other player, or be in the way, just because I think that’s my only way to get him out. I’m just trying to make a tag. And if you see the replay, he definitely hit my foot, but my foot is kind of like on the other side of the bag.”

Rojas was also charged with an error.

“He should’ve had that ball in his glove before he stepped in front of the bag,” Hudson said.

An obstruction play like that is not reviewable and according to Hudson, once Roberts came out to argue Wendelstedt put up his hands to stop him. It was Roberts’ 12th career ejection.

“He went out there to argue the play” Hudson said. “And once you go down that road to argue the play, then you’re ejected because you can’t argue that play.”

The most frustrating part of that play for Roberts was how he believed the call missed the spirit of the rule preventing Rojas from making an incredible "baseball play."

"We're still playing baseball and you have to let some of the greatest athletes in the world make plays," Roberts said. "The rule was to deter guys from blocking the bag to potentially harm a baserunner who's going in head-first. That's the genesis of the rule.

"Miggy's legs are spread wide once he secured the baseball. So there is a lane. If he was there in time. The ball beat him. There was a lane. He doesn't know where the runner is going to be sliding. He's trying to secure the baseball to then turn and make a tag. That's it. It's a baseball play."