Inside The Rangers

'That Was A Clean Slide': Rangers Lose Home Opener On Controversial 'Slide Rule'

The Texas Rangers dropped their home opener, with a violation of the "slide rule" ending the game in the 10th inning.

Chris Halicke

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers dropped their home opener to the Colorado Rockies, losing by a score of 6-4 in extra innings.

The game, however, ended with a controversial call. Trailing 6-4 with one out in the 10th inning, Adolis García hit a grounder to third base that threatened to end the game on a double play. After Garver was out prior to his slide into second base, García beat a wild throw from Colorado second baseman Brendan Rodgers at first base, which allowed García to move up 90 feet into scoring position. 

In addition, Marcus Semien scored on the play, cutting the deficit to 6-5. Nathaniel Lowe, who is tied for the team lead with five RBI, was due up representing the winning run.

However, Colorado challenged the play at second base, arguing that Garver made illegal contact with Rodgers in violation of Major League Baseball's "Slide Rule."

After review, the call on the field was overturned, stating that Garver did violate the rule. Subsequently, both Garver and García were called out and Semien's run was wiped out. The game was over.

MLB Rule 6.01(j) states: 

"If a runner does not engage in a bona fide slide, and initiates (or attempts to make) contact with the fielder for the purpose of breaking up a double play, he should be called for interference under this Rule 6.01.

"… a slide shall not be a "bona fide slide" if a runner engages in a "roll block," or intentionally initiates (or attempts to initiate) contact with the fielder by elevating and kicking his leg above the fielder's knee or throwing his arm or his upper body."

“The rule states that the runner sliding into second base has to maintain possession of the base," crew chief Bill Miller said in the Pool Report. "This runner did not maintain possession of the base. And he not only did not maintain possession, he came off the base and made contact with the fielder above the knee. That constitutes a violation on two terms."

Miller added, “I’ve never had a game end like this. And it’s the first time I’ve been announcing over the PA system. So, it’s all new to us. It’s an unfortunate way to lose, but those are the rules.”

For the first time in MLB history, umpires began announcing the rulings of challenges over ballpark PA systems this year.

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Chris Woodward argues with umpires after ruling

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Willie Calhoun's pinch-hit home run

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Rangers starter Taylor Hearn

Garver, who was "100 percent" surprised at the ruling, was not so pleased with the way the rule was interpreted.

"I was going for the bag. I hit it first. Then after watching the replay, there was no doubt in my mind that was a clean slide. It was a clean, hard baseball slide," Garver said. "That run matters. In a close game, you should expect something like this."

Garver said there isn't a lot of time put into training for these types of slides, though runners have been forced to avoid contact as the rule has evolved over time due to serious injuries to middle infielders. The most infamous of them all was when Mets infielder Ruben Tejada had his fibula broken from a hard slide by Chase Utley in the 2015 postseason. 

The slides from Utley in 2015 and Garver on Monday are entirely different. Garver fully understood the rule and went in with a concerted effort to hit the bag first to make a clean, legal slide in an attempt to avoid any violation.

"If they want to regulate this rule, it's gonna have to be pretty obvious that you're going in to hurt somebody, which I wasn't," Garver said. "I'm going in to make a play, protect my teammate and extend the inning."

Though he gave the umpires an ear full or two after the ruling was announced and later supported Garver's attempt to make a play, manager Chris Woodward refused to pin Monday's loss on the way it ended.

"That didn't determine us losing the game," Woodward said. "We lost that game. We didn't play well enough. We didn't make plays at the end. We didn't make pitches at the end. We had a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning and lost the game. That's the most important thing I can say."

Outside of six scoreless innings that secured their lone victory of the season on Sunday, the Texas bullpen has struggled thus far this season. They failed to hold onto a four-run lead on Opening Day and allowed the deciding run in their second loss of the season.

However, two of the three runs allowed by the bullpen were unearned due to a couple defensive miscues.

Game Notes

  • Rangers starter Taylor Hearn pitched four innings, allowing one run on eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts. He threw 76 pitches, which was near the 80-pitch limit put on starters early on due to the truncated spring training.
  • Adolis García had a solid day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two walks. His four walks is tied with Mitch Garver for the team lead this year.
  • Trailing 4-3, Willie Calhoun hit a two-out, pinch-hit solo home run to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was the first extra-base hit as a pinch hitter in his career.

What's Next?

The Rangers wrap up this quick two-game series with the Rockies on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field. Left-hander Martín Pérez is set to make his first start as a Ranger since 2018. He'll be squaring off with Colorado right-hander Chad Kuhl. First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. CT.

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Chris Halicke
CHRIS HALICKE

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