PHILADELPHIA — The Red Sox had less than a day to stew on a bizarre catcher’s interference call that ended Monday’s game against the Phillies in walk-off fashion. Then, almost instantly the next time they took the field, something even stranger happened.
In the first inning Tuesday, Carlos Narváez — who had his glove clipped by Edmundo Sosa on the winning play Monday night — was ruled for another catcher’s interference, this time on an attempted straight steal of home by Bryce Harper. With runners on second and third, two outs and Brandon Marsh batting, Harper broke toward home for a straight steal attempt. He was awarded the base (and a run) on a very confusing play. It was ruled that Narváez interfered with Harper’s path home and the catcher — not pitcher Richard Fitts — was charged with an automatic balk. A crew chief review confirmed the ruling.
“In the beginning, we thought he called blocking the plate. After that, they got together and explained me what happened,” said manager Alex Cora. “Just weird, man. Two nights in a row, stuff I’ve never seen in my life, to be honest with you.
Speaking to a pool reporter, crew chief Quinn Wolcott explained that home plate umpire Edwin Jimenez made the call even with Narváez being in front of home plate in the direction of the mound. Though Marsh stepped out of the box to let Harper try to steal, Fitts’ 0-1 offering was still considered a pitch and therefore, Narváez technically interfered with Marsh’s ability to hit it.
“He had Narváez stepping on or above the plate before the pitch was received, essentially…,” Wolcott said. “I would say that that constitutes a violation, because the purpose of the rule is to protect the hitter striking at the pitch, right? So he can’t invade the hitter’s space, either. Even if he were to come around the plate, it would still be a violation.”
“No reference in the rule about the hitter maintaining a hitter stance or anything like that,” Wolcott added. “It’s pretty cut-and-dried that the catcher just can’t go that far forward before he receives the pitch.”
Narváez was charged with an error that gave Marsh first base and a catcher balk that allowed Harper to advance home and Castellanos to take first. The catcher argued to no avail.
“I just went up,“ Narváez said. “Maybe I went up a little early. I just wanted to catch the ball and tag. I saw the video. I wasn’t over the plate or something.
“I didn’t know that rule… I was arguing with him because I knew I wasn’t covering the plate. Then he told me that. First time I’ve seen that play.”
Narváez, who thought it would be a bang-bang play at the plate had he not been charged with interference, credited Harper for having high baseball IQ and taking advantage of the struggling Fitts going to the windup with men on. Fitts also took blame.
“I saw him out of the corner of my eye, kinda leaning towards it,” Fitts said. “As soon as I see him going, I was just making sure I didn’t balk. I have enough baseball knowledge to be able to react like that and I didn’t react as fast as I should have.”
Narváez said if a similar play were to happen again, he’d try to remember quickly that he had to stay in a normal catching stance.
“Probably stay back behind home plate,” he said. “Probably don’t get up, just stay low, catch it and tag. The only thing I think I did wrong, which I didn’t know, is step up and try to get it. Next time, if that happens, I’ll just stay low.”
The confusing sequence wasn’t the difference in the game, though, as Phillies lefty Cristopher Sánchez struck out 12 Red Sox in a complete game win and the Phils scored four early runs off Fitts en route to a 4-1 win. Two came on long homers by Max Kepler and Kyle Schwarber.
“I hate it,” Fitts said of his outing. “I feel like I let everybody down tonight, set the tone. That play in the first inning gives them the momentum and their guys just keep rolling. I don’t feel anything good about tonight.”
The most memorable moment, though, came in another turn of events that had Boston’s rookie catcher shaking his head in disbelief.
“That was my thought after this: ‘Man, what is going on?’…,” Narváez said. “Two weird plays in two straight nights. It’s not a fun spot to be.”
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