Fastball

Awful Umpiring Puts Cloud Over Astros-Mariners Battle That Had Playoff Implications

While the umpiring didn't decide the game on Wednesday night, Larry Vanover had a terrible game behind the plate as the Astros and Mariners played each other.
Brady Farkas|
Awful Umpiring Puts Cloud Over Astros-Mariners Battle That Had Playoff Implications
Awful Umpiring Puts Cloud Over Astros-Mariners Battle That Had Playoff Implications

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Seattle MarinersHouston Astros

The Houston Astros beat the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night 8-3 to move to 1.5 games up on Seattle in the battle for the third and final wild card spot in the American League. 

Seattle has four games to play (against Texas) this season while Houston has three (vs. Arizona) and now needs help in order to get the playoffs for the second straight year.

And while umpiring didn't decide the game on Wednesday, it certainly was a horrible night behind the plate for home plate umpire Larry Vanover.

Per the @UmpireAuditor account on "X," formerly known as Twitter:

Umpire Larry Vanover missed 20 calls in the #Astros #Mariners game and was yesterday's lowest rated umpire. 

Vanover is ranked 92nd of 94 umpires in correct call rate.

Vanover was bad for both teams and he was bad early in the game and late in the game. It's one thing to have an off night but 20 missed calls? In a game with serious playoff implications?

Why did a game with serious playoff implications get the 92nd ranked umpire in the league? That's a question for the league office that we likely won't ever get answered.

The Mariners will be back in action on Thursday night against the Texas Rangers. First pitch from T-Mobile Park is set for 9:40 p.m. ET as Jordan Montgomery (TEX) pitches against Logan Gilbert (SEA).

Montgomery is 10-11 with a 3.25 ERA while Gilbert is 13-7 with a 3.75 ERA.

Houston won't be in action again until Friday night.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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