Nationals manager Dave Martinez printed out pictures to rip ‘brutal’ call by umpire

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez was so mad with the way the final play of his team’s 5-4 loss to the Astros played out that he brought the receipts to his postgame press conference.

With the game tied at four and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Houston’s Jake Meyers grounded to shortstop and C.J. Abrams fired home for the second out. 

Washington catcher Keibert Ruiz threw the ball quickly to first to try for an inning-ending double play, but his throw caromed off Meyers’ helmet and rolled into the outfield, allowing José Abreu to score the winning run. 

Martinez came out of the dugout to argue that Meyers was out of the baseline and interfered with the throw, but the umpires didn’t agree, and the game was over, which prompted the Nationals manager to come in hot to his postgame media session. 

“There it is right there,” Martinez said passionately while pointing to a printed-out photo of the play. “Take a look at it. Is that on the line? I don’t think so. I’m over this play. Seriously.

“They need to fix the rule. If this is what the umpire sees that he’s running down the line, I’m tired of it. I’m tired of it. Fix it.

“We lost the game, and he had nothing to say about it because he can’t make the right call. Brutal.”

The Nationals skipper told reporters he wasn’t given an explanation over the ruling but was proud of how his team played, regardless of the call.

“I can’t do nothing about those umpires, I really can’t. Like I said, they need to take a look at that and understand that he screwed that play up and that’s all I’m gonna say about it,” Martinez said. 

Wednesday night wasn’t the first time that Martinez got upset over an umpire’s decision on a play like this one in Houston.

A similar situation played out in Game 6 of the 2019 World Series when Trea Turner, then with the Nationals, was called out for running too far inside of the baseline as he scampered toward first on an infield dribbler.

In that series, however, Washington won in seven games for the Nationals’ first World Series title.

But in 2023, the Nationals remained in last place in the NL East. Washington dropped its second consecutive game to the Astros and have lost eight of their last 10.