An umpire’s job is often difficult, but they’re expected to at least get clear balls and strikes correct until the robot overlords one day take over.
However, home-plate umpire Ed Hickox had a baffling moment early in Thursday afternoon’s game between the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.
White Sox righty Dylan Cease threw a knucklecurve right over the plate to Cody Bellinger during the second inning. The broadcast’s built-in strike zone wasn’t necessary to realize the pitch was virtually right down the middle. If anything, Bellinger may regret not swinging.
A few awkward seconds passed without Hickox signaling a strike call. Cease couldn’t believe it, and neither can fans seeing the footage on Twitter.
Fortunately, Cease recovered and got Bellinger to strike out swinging. He was cruising through a stacked Dodgers lineup until allowing six unearned runs in the fifth inning.
Hickox wasn’t the only person to make a head-scratching call in this game, as White Sox manager Tony La Russa issued an intentional walk on a 1-2 count to Trea Turner. The next batter, Max Muncy, hit a three-run homer.
As the Dodgers look to close out a 11-7 victory on the road in the ninth, baseball fans will wonder when an effective automated strike zone will be ready.