Dylan Moore got tossed over Guardian's HBP call, but why?

No, this was no April Fool's joke. Dylan Moore was ejected by second base umpire Vic Carapazza during a game where Moore was not even playing in. This happened in the top of the 3rd inning of game 1 of the 3 game series with the Cleveland Guardians. Are you as confused with what happened as I was? Hopefully, this will bring some clarity as to what happened.

Guardians outfielder Ramon Laureano swung at a pitch that hit off of his fingers gripping the bat. The ball landed out by Mariners pitcher Emerson Hancock, who threw the ball to first base, and Laureano was ruled out. That seems simple, but unfortunately for the Mariners, the call would eventually go against them.

Dylan Moore got tossed because the umpire badly messed up

As you can see in the video, the ball never touched the bat, as Laureano hit the ball with his fingers. New Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt challenged the ruling on the field, claiming that Laureano was hit by the pitch. The umpires met, and the umpires in New York overturned the original call and awarded Laureano first base.

The problem I have with all of this is that Ramon Laureano swung at the ball! You can see that clear as day. Even if you were to get hit by a pitch, if you swing at that ball, it is a strike, not a HBP. The umpire ruled that he did not swing, and that cannot be challenged. You are not allowed to challenge balls and strikes, so they had to go off of what they could challenge, and that is why he was awarded first base.

Dylan Moore seemed to take exception with that call, and umpire Vic Carapazza tossed him from the dugout. Moore then ran out of the dugout to get his money's worth, before being directed by Mariners skipper Scott Servais. The whole thing was ridiculous from the start. The umpire should have ruled that Laureano swung, and none of this would have mattered.

All in all, this seems like another case of "Welcome to the Ump Show". There is nothing that umpires hate more than being shown up, and Moore did just that. I get that umpires have a tough job, and they have to make calls in milliseconds. I know I would not be a good umpire at all. But that is their literal job, to make correct calls and keep the game moving.

Laureano eventually came around to score, scoring the first of two runs that inning. At the end of the day, the Mariners won the game 5-4. Emerson Hancock got his first career win, going 5 strong innings.

As always, Go Mariners!