Jeff McNeil was charged with a defensive-shift violation for the first time since those rules were enacted this season, but he was adamant afterward that he was wrongly penalized.
McNeil was called for the first-year violation in the eighth inning while holding on Anthony Volpe at second base, resulting in a ball added to the count with Giancarlo Stanton batting in a tie game.
The Yankees didn’t score in the inning, and the Mets pulled out a 4-3 win in the 10th, but McNeil still was steamed about what he felt was a “ticky-tack” interpretation of the new shift rules.
“From what I just read of the rule, it was not a violation,” McNeil said after the game. “It’s when the pitcher releases the ball, I need to be on my side of second base, which I was. It’s a little frustrating because what I was doing was not a violation.
“I’m doing my best to hold a runner. … He’s trying to take third there and I’m doing my best to keep him close and also field my position at the same time. I don’t think that’s what the rule is meant for. The rule is meant for having three people on one side of the base and trying to stop the hitter.”
The two-time All-Star added that he was surprised by the call because he is cognizant of where his feet have to be in that situation.
“It’s so ticky-tack that it’s not even something that we should be worrying about,” McNeil said. “If you’re playing defense right there, on that line, all the way back to the grass, where you’re trying to toe the line, of course. But I was trying to stop him from getting third base. So that’s a little frustrating. From what I read in the rule, I wasn’t in the wrong, and we need to get a little more clarification about that.”
Buck Showalter said he was told by the umpiring crew that McNeil’s “foot was on the bag” when reliever Adam Ottavino started his delivery, but the Mets manager otherwise didn’t offer an opinion on the call.
“It’s not what these rules are meant for. I was an inch over the line, trying to hold a runner. There was no bad intention to it,” McNeil added. “I’m probably going to be the first one ever called on that and probably the last. It’s so ticky-tack. I’m glad it really didn’t hurt us. and we were able to get out of the inning.“My foot probably was right behind the bag, but it’s just tough and you have to live with it.”