As the clouds loomed over Tampa, veteran umpire Laz Diaz made an early mark on Tuesday night’s game in a way that nobody saw coming. In a pivotal moment with one out in the top of the first inning, Rays outfielder Jake Mangum faced a 1-2 count against Texas Rangers pitcher Tyler Mahle. After a pitch that seemed to miss the strike zone outside, Diaz’s call sent Mangum back to the dugout in disbelief.
Umpire Auditor later reported that Mahle’s pitch missed the zone by a jaw-dropping 6.83 inches, marking it as the worst called strikeout since the platform began tracking umpire performance in 2014. The previous record for the most egregious missed call belonged to Angel Hernandez, who rung up Wyatt Langford on a pitch that was just a mere 6.78 inches outside last April. With that call, Diaz not only shocked fans but also reclaimed a dubious title that many thought was firmly in Hernandez’s grip.
The game continued, and while a brief rain delay interrupted play for just 17 minutes, it did little to dampen the Rays’ spirits. Leading 1-0 at the time of Mangum’s baffling strikeout, the Rays ended the night with a solid 5-1 victory.
For Diaz, who is now 62 years old, this performance isn’t an isolated incident but rather a continuation of a career that’s seen its fair share of scrutiny. With Hernandez having recently retired after his own contentious calls, Diaz has quickly climbed the ranks as one of the most criticized umpires in the league today.
In a sport where precision and split-second decisions are crucial, Diaz’s call serves as a reminder of the fine line umpires walk between the action on the field and the expectations of players and fans alike. That said, baseball fans will surely keep a close eye on how the rest of the season unfolds, especially with the growing conversation around umpire accountability and performance.
