The New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Thursday, but it was a tight squeeze for the home side.
The Mets entered the ninth inning up 4–0 and hoped to quickly and cleanly close out the visitors after Kodai Senga limped off the field earlier in the game. That hope dissipated quickly with Washington working Ryne Stanek and getting men on the corners with zero outs. Edwin Diaz came in to put the fire out but wound up loading the bases on four-pitch walk . Manager Carlos Mendoza did not agree with the called ball that resulted in the bases-loaded jam.
He made his opinion quite clear to umpire Chad Whitson, who fired back from behind home plate. The two's heated exchange got loud enough that mics picked up Whitson's hilarious retort as Mendoza continued to rip him for calling a ball: "I'm not a magician!"
"I'm not a magician" - home plate umpire Chad Whitson after Mets manager Carlos Mendoza accuses him of blowing a call pic.twitter.com/Kk4K56t5V5
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 12, 2025
It's a funny line and one other umpires should borrow when a manager accuses them of concoting an incorrect call out of thin air. Even if we've definitely seen worse calls from home plate umpires this year.
The Nationals would rally for three runs in the top of the ninth but Diaz earned the save and the Mets won, 4–3.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mics Caught Umpire's Perfect Line to Mets Manager During Heated Ninth Inning Exchange.
