Yankees Fans Were Furious After Umps Called Juan Soto Out Despite New MLB Rule

In this story:
Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees were not happy with a call by the umpires in Saturday's game against the Cleveland Guardians after Juan Soto was ruled out on a play at first base after initially being called safe.
This all happened after Aaron Judge flew out to center field in the top of the third inning. Soto returned to first base but was called out after Josh Naylor received the throw and stepped on the bag before Soto got there.
The call was then overturned, even though MLB's new rule that states:
"Existing Rule 6.00(h) awards the base to the runner when the fielder is ruled to have impeded the runner’s progress while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball. The rule leaves it up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a fielder is in the act of fielding the ball."
Here's the play:
The umpires overturned this safe call and Soto and Boone were not happy pic.twitter.com/bNa7SekiIo
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 13, 2024
It sure looked like Naylor was blocking the bag before catching the ball and that Soto should have been called safe.
Fans were not happy:
https://t.co/9QyXSe1nyi pic.twitter.com/e3TELJSO6b
— Dave (@daveydod) April 13, 2024
If that isn’t blocking the base idk what is https://t.co/UuSK15bqjX
— Mike 🦇 ⚾️ (@Hushh27) April 13, 2024
This makes ZERO sense to me. He clearly blocked the bag and path, but a catcher has to offer up a clear unobstructed lane to home plate?!?! https://t.co/R52uoack3y
— Merc (@Merc922) April 13, 2024
Clear obstruction. How do we still not understand the rules. https://t.co/FcX5Bx5uot
— notGallo (@gallo_not) April 13, 2024
So is Soto supposed to jump over him next time?.. and Of course it’s Naylor involved https://t.co/YLuI00V779
— tyler jachera (@tjachera7) April 13, 2024
Oh look, another sport where instant replay is available and they still get the call wrong! https://t.co/dmNyc7clCX
— james (@hazebrew_) April 13, 2024
BS call. Naylor is a dirty player. He knew what he was doing https://t.co/R5nEPkOwGr
— A.Tribe called Ad (@tribes9) April 13, 2024

Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.
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