Umps likely erred for calling Kansas City Royals’ Carlos Santana out for interference

Royals second baseman/outfielder Whit Merrifield leads Major League Baseball with 17 stolen bases.

During the Royals’ 8-1 loss to the Angels on Tuesday night, it appeared that Merrifield had gotten No. 18. In the third inning, Merrifield reached on a bunt single and stole second base.

But it was taken away when the batter, first baseman Carlos Santana, was ruled to have interfered with Angels catcher Max Stassi. As you can see in the video below, the pitch from Angels starter Andrew Heaney nearly hit Santana on the foot.

Santana avoided the ball and temporarily lost his balance. Instead of falling, Santana took a step toward Stassi.

You make the call:

Here’s is what rule 6.03(a)(3) of the MLB rulebook says about interfering with a catcher: “A batter is out for illegal action when he interferes with the catcher’s fielding or throwing by stepping out of the batter’s box or making any other movement that hinders the catcher’s play at home base.”

Now, it seems Santana did that, right? But there is a comment to that particular rule that should have given Santana some leeway since his action was clearly unintentional.

This is the comment: “If a batter strikes at a ball and misses and swings so hard they carry the bat all the way around and, in the umpire’s judgment, unintentionally hit the catcher or the ball in back of them on the backswing, it shall be called a strike only (not interference). The ball will be dead, however, and no runner shall advance on the play.”

Santana didn’t swing, of course, but he did try to avoid being hit by the pitch.

At the very least, the umpires should have sent Merrifield back to first and let Santana continue his plate appearance.

Instead, this is the official description of the play: “Carlos Santana bunt grounds out to catcher Max Stassi. Carlos Santana out on batter interference.”