<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2m34OV_0vvvJBlK00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2m34OV_0vvvJBlK00" width="912" height="513" ><figcaption>The Mets defeated the Brewers in the wild-card round to advance to the NLDS and face the Phillies. | Fox Sports</figcaption></figure><p><b>The balls and strikes called in Game 1 have emerged as one of the biggest storylines of the NLDS.</b></p><p>Game 1 of the NLDS between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets started out with a bang, as slugger Kyle Schwarber had the sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park on its feet with a leadoff homer in the first inning. </p><p>As the game has progressed, however, the balls and strikes called behind home plate emerged as one of the series' biggest storylines.</p><p>Home plate umpire Andy Fletcher significantly expanded the strike zone at times on Saturday, perhaps dealing with some shadow issues on the field as Game 1 began at 4:08 p.m. ET. Strikes called favored pitchers on both teams, but one call went viral for costing the Mets a scoring opportunity in the fourth inning.</p><p>With one out and two runners on base, Mets infielder Jose Iglesias thought he worked the count to 3-0 after taking a pitch inside. But it was called a strike. Two pitches later, Iglesias grounded out into an inning-ending double play.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What's up with this call? 🤖 <a href="https://t.co/mc8LGBsz5E">pic.twitter.com/mc8LGBsz5E</a></p>— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) <a href="https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1842673873872994382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>That call appeared like it was going to haunt the Mets' offense throughout Game 1 until they broke out for five runs in the top of the eighth inning.</p><p>MLB fans—neutral observers as well as those rooting for the Mets and Phillies—weighed in on social media about the strike zone:</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">just throw it to that side of the plate I guess <a href="https://t.co/9yQxKQ3x8F">pic.twitter.com/9yQxKQ3x8F</a></p>— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jomboy_/status/1842679308772372973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">But that strike zone is crazy lol <a href="https://t.co/6tc42R6V1i">https://t.co/6tc42R6V1i</a></p>— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) <a href="https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell/status/1842689528425026036?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is the story of the entire game. Wheeler threw gas for 2 innings, then he lost the zone &amp; the umpire kept calling strikes anyway. <a href="https://t.co/XfFH2vXwKP">pic.twitter.com/XfFH2vXwKP</a></p>— TomHoefWrites (@TomHoefWrites) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomHoefWrites/status/1842678132450677186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wheeler’s strike zone today: <a href="https://t.co/S04Ia2EDBI">pic.twitter.com/S04Ia2EDBI</a></p>— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyshynski/status/1842674061316436232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I mean this strike zone is insane</p>— green man (@real_green_man) <a href="https://twitter.com/real_green_man/status/1842677893752582438?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I see the strike zone is really just subjective now <a href="https://t.co/JV4MQtTmks">pic.twitter.com/JV4MQtTmks</a></p>— X-Melissa 🇵🇷⚾️🦙🤷🏽‍♀️🍀 (@msmiaguilar) <a href="https://twitter.com/msmiaguilar/status/1842678094991163884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>The Mets and Phillies will return to the field for Game 2 at 4:08 p.m. ET Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.</p><h2>More of the Latest Around MLB</h2><p>This article was originally published on www.si.com as Umpire's Expanded Strike Zone in Mets-Phillies Game 1 Has MLB World in Uproar. </p></div></body>

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Umpire's Expanded Strike Zone in Mets-Phillies Game 1 Has MLB World in Uproar

The balls and strikes called in Game 1 have emerged as one of the biggest storylines of the NLDS. Game 1 of the NLDS between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets started out with a bang, as slugger Kyle Schwarber had the sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park on its feet with a leadoff homer in the first inning.

Umpire's Expanded Strike Zone in Mets-Phillies Game 1 Has MLB World in Uproar

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