A few caveats out of the gate here. Umpiring, especially behind the plate, is extraordinarily difficult and Major League Baseball employs some incredibly talented individuals to do it. And the strike zone box that appears on television is far more specious and arbitrary than most viewers think, especially when it comes to the bottom and top of the zone. But even with those concessions, home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi did not have his best night on Monday working behind the dish in the Philadelphia Phillies-San Francisco Giants game.
After expanding the zone on Bryce Harper in the top of the eighth with the score knotted at 1-1, Cuzzi watched three Orion Kekering pitches to Matt Chapman potentially get a decent part of the zone without busting out a strike three call in the bottom of the frame.
Orion Kerkering struck out Matt Chapman 3 separate times but the umpire completely missed all these strike calls. Then, Chapman hit a single. The Philadelphia Phillies are now losing… pic.twitter.com/i6BVhhM2AK
— js9innings (@js9inningsmedia) July 8, 2025
Chapman would eventually aim a single through the right side of the infield, setting up the Giants' game-winning run in a contest they went on to win, 3-1.
The side-by-side comparison of his decisions during those two plate appearances does not look good. And baseball fans, as they are wont to do when an umpire botches something, are not being very forgiving.
Phil Cuzzi should never be allowed to umpire another game again. This is atrocious and completely unacceptable. #Phillies @MLBUA pic.twitter.com/1Vy97V5VBU
— Matt Higgins (@MattHiggins80) July 8, 2025
That's tough way for the Phillies to lose. Going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position probably didn't help either.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Phillies Burned After Umpire Appears to Miss Three Strike Three Calls in One At-Bat.
