Phillies benefit a 3rd time on catcher’s interference call, this one against Mariners

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — For the third time in less than a month, the Philadelphia Phillies were on the positive end of a catcher’s interference call.

In the first inning of their game Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners, J.T. Realmuto was called out on strikes on a pitch by Bryce Miller that would have ended the inning.

However, Realmuto argued that his swing was interfered with by Seattle catcher Mitch Garver — who was starting behind the plate while usual catcher and MLB homer leader Cal Raleigh was in the lineup as a designated hitter.

The Phillies challenged the call, and after a video review, it was determined that Garver’s glove did interfere with Realmuto’s bat on the swing, and Realmuto was awarded first base.

Last month, when Boston was in Philadelphia, catcher Carlos Narvaez was called for inference in consecutive games, in both instances allowing a run to score, one of them to end a game in extra innings. It was the first walk-off catcher’s interference since 1971.

This time, there was no damage as Miller induced a fielder’s choice ground out by Alec Bohm on the first pitch after the review, ending the inning with Seattle trailing 1-0 thanks to Kyle Schwarber’s NL-leading 44th homer.

Major League baseball set a record in 2024 for catcher’s interference calls with 100, which broke the mark set a season earlier when there were 96 infractions.

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