WATCH: Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 1-0 after wild play at the plate rules Pete Alonso ‘out with no obstruction’

The Chicago Cubs defeated the New York Mets last night 1-0 after a play-at-the-plate call in the bottom of the ninth inning ended the game in controversy.

With the Cubs leading 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning with runners on second and third, Jeff McNeil hit a fly ball to right field – which sent Pete Alonso tagging from third looking to tie the ball game.

Alonso, not exactly the fastest runner by any means, was ruled out at the plate.

Pete Alonso ruled out at home plate

Chaos at the end of Cubs-Mets!

Replay ruled that the Cubs didn't block the plate and that Pete Alonso was out to end the game pic.twitter.com/eHxAGn5hU6

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 2, 2024

The umpire called Alonso OUT at the plate. New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was furious and demanded a replay with hopes that it would prove Cubs’ catcher Miguel Amaya was obstructing home plate, blocking any attempt at Alonso being able to touch the base.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was adamant Amaya blocked Alonso’s path.

“They send out a memo in spring training what’s legal and what’s illegal and it’s clearly on that email — that memo — that we got that catchers are not allowed to have their foot in front of the plate,” Mendoza said after the game. “On top of the plate, they cannot straddle without possession of the baseball. He was very clear that the guy had his left on top of the plate without the baseball. I think they got the wrong call.” [NY POST]

Before the start of the 2024 season there was a memo released to all MLB teams about new rules for catchers and how they can protect home plate.

Mendoza, along with a ton of people on social media were thinking that the update simply stated that catchers were not allowed to have their foot on home plate without the baseball – that’s true but only if it doesn’t leave a clear path for the runner or if the trajectory of the throw isn’t in-line with the plate/base.

Standing on the plate without the baseball is totally normal and if you think about it – even suggesting otherwise would be completely insane.

The keyword is “straddle” which I don’t think Amaya was doing.

The entire front-half of the plate (the important part) is accessible to Alonso and the baseball was being thrown home at that exact trajectory forcing Amaya’s body and glove to lean left.

To be clear: The catcher has to give the runner a path/lane to slide or cross the plate. With Pete Alonso’s slide in the picture above and the way that Amaya was covering home plate, I think it’s pretty clear that there was room available.

People are referencing Andy Martino’s tweet from SNY as a reason to show that Amaya was in fact “obstructing” home plate. I’m not seeing the comparison. In each picture, the catcher is either completely blocking the plate. standing directly on top of it, or lined up in foul territory.

Again, the part that Martino seems to be missing is the entire front-half of the plate (the important part) is accessible to Alonso. The baseball was thrown home at that exact trajectory forcing Amaya’s body and glove to lean left over home plate.

I obtained images from the memo sent out to managers during spring training on blocking the plate. pic.twitter.com/YL6A2qZCvD

— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) May 2, 2024

The MLB also released a statement about the call and why the decision was made:

After viewing all relevant angles, the Replay Official definitively determined that no violation of the Home Plate Collision Rule occurred. The catcher’s initial setup was legal and he moved into the lane in reaction to the trajectory of the incoming throw. The call is confirmed, as it is not a violation.

Additionally, the Replay Official could not definitively determine that the runner contacted home plate prior to catcher applying the tag. The call stands, and the runner is out.

The Replay Official was Umpire Derek Thomas.

Was Pete Alonso OUT at Home Plate?

Honestly, I don’t think this was incorrect either. Pete Alonso appears to have never touched home plate regardless of any “obstruction”. Alonso runs slower than molasses so I wasn’t surprised in the slightest that he was gunned down at the plate.

Plus, Alonso was already ruled out so it would have been nearly impossible to overturn the call given “insignificant” evidence on the replay that he was safe at home.

The Replay Official could not definitively determine that the runner contacted home plate prior to catcher applying the tag. The call stands, and the runner is out.”

Chaos at the end of Cubs-Mets!

Replay ruled that the Cubs didn't block the plate and that Pete Alonso was out to end the game pic.twitter.com/eHxAGn5hU6

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 2, 2024

NL East Standings

With the loss, the New York Mets fell back to .500 on the season at 15-15. They currently sit in fourth place in the NL East Standings – tied with the Washington Nationals.

As for the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, they are atop of the NL East Standings. The Phillies are the first MLB Team to reach 21 wins and were the first to 20 as well, but remain a half-game behind Atlanta based on games played.

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