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Angels Robbed Blind as Yankees Steal Win with Most Embarrassing Strike Call in History!

Posted on May 29, 2025 - 9:26 am by

In a heart-wrenching defeat, the Los Angeles Angels fell 1-0 to the New York Yankees on Wednesday night in a game that will be remembered not for its competitive spirit but for one of the most egregious umpire blunders in recent memory. Home plate umpire Ben May single-handedly stole the spotlight—and the game—with a call so baffling it left Angels fans, players, and anyone with a functioning pair of eyes in utter disbelief.

The stage was set in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Angels, trailing by a single run, had Matthew Lugo on first base with two outs. Designated hitter Logan O’Hoppe stepped into the batter’s box, locked in a tense 2-2 count against Yankees reliever Mark Leiter Jr. The crowd was buzzing, the stakes were high, and the game was on the line. Leiter unleashed a curveball that sailed so far outside the strike zone it might as well have landed in the bleachers. Yet, to the shock of everyone, May raised his arms and called strike three, abruptly ending the game.

The call was nothing short of catastrophic. Not only did it rob O’Hoppe of a chance to keep the rally alive, but it also snuffed out what could have been an electrifying finish to a tightly contested pitcher’s duel. Replays confirmed the pitch was nowhere near the strike zone, making May’s decision one of the worst calls of the 2025 MLB season. The Angels had every right to feel cheated, and fans took to social media to vent their frustration, with many labeling it the most embarrassing strike call in baseball history.

This debacle is a glaring reminder of why Major League Baseball must fast-track the implementation of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system. Had the ABS been in place, the Angels could have challenged the call, and the pitch would have been correctly ruled a ball, giving O’Hoppe a 3-2 count and a chance to extend the game. Instead, the game ended in controversy, leaving a bitter taste for players and fans alike.

The Angels’ loss stings not just because of the scoreline but because it exposed, yet again, the flaws in relying solely on human judgment for critical calls. MLB has the technology to ensure fairness—it’s time to use it. Until then, moments like these will continue to tarnish the game and rob teams of their rightful chance to compete.