In an oddity....
Phillies keep cashing on on rare MLB rule that keeps helping them win originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Philadelphia Phillies are starting to make a name for themselves in one of the rarest ways a team can benefit in Major League Baseball. For the third time in less than a month, they were awarded first base after a catcher’s interference call, a play that almost never shows up in box scores.
Philadelphia’s strange streak with catcher’s interference
The latest moment came in the first inning of Tuesday’s 6-4 win over the Seattle Mariners. J.T. Realmuto appeared to strike out on a Bryce Miller pitch that would have ended the frame. Instead, Philadelphia challenged, and after review it was ruled that Mariners catcher Mitch Garver’s glove clipped Realmuto’s bat. The strikeout was erased, and the veteran catcher was handed first base.
While the at-bat did not produce damage this time around, the Phillies have seen this quirky rule shift games in their favor before. Just last month, Boston’s Carlos Narvaez was hit with back-to-back interference calls against Philadelphia. One of them directly allowed a run to score in extra innings, and the other delivered the first walk-off catcher’s interference since 1971.
A growing trend across Baseball
Catcher’s interference is rare, but it has become more common in recent years. Major League Baseball saw 100 such calls in 2024, breaking the previous record of 96 set in 2023. With more aggressive swings and catchers setting up closer to the plate, the chances of contact have quietly gone up.
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For the Phillies, it has been more than just a rulebook oddity. It has turned into a small but meaningful advantage that has extended innings, allowed runs to score, and, in one case, secured a victory. Even in Tuesday’s game, though the interference did not lead directly to runs, it added another layer to Philadelphia’s ability to grind out wins.
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