MLB Ejection 023 - James Hoye (1; Pat Murphy)

[Lindsay]

3B Umpire James Hoye ejected Brewers manager Pat Murphy (obstruction call; QOCY) in the bottom of the 6th inning of the #Brewers-#Rays game. With two out and one on, Rays baserunner Junior Caminero attempted to steal second base, drawing a throw from Brewers catcher William Contreras as Rays baserunner R3 Christopher Morel ran far off third base, drawing a throw to third baseman Caleb Durbin, who was called for obstruction. Replays indicate Durbin blocked Morel's path to the base without possession of the ball and not in a legitimate attempt to field the throw, the call was correct. At the time of the ejection, the Rays were leading, 3-2. The Rays ultimately won the contest, 4-3.

This is James Hoye (92)'s 1st ejection of 2025.

The Official Baseball Rules define obstruction as "the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner." 

OBR 6.01(h)(1): "If a play is being made on the obstructed runner...The obstructed runner shall be awarded at least one base beyond the base they had last legally touched before the obstruction."

Related Post: Obstruction Calls Are 2024's Point of Emphasis (2/14/24).

This is the 23rd manager ejection of the 2025 MLB regular season.

This is the 10th manager ejection of 2025. Ejection Tally: 10 Managers, 6 Coaches, 7 Players.

This is Cincinnati's 1/2nd ejection of 2025, 1st in the NL Central (CIN, MIL, STL 2; CHC 1; PIT 0).

This is Pat Murphy's 1st ejection since Sept 21, 2024 (Chris Segal; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

This is James Hoye's 1st ejection since Sept 10, 2024 (Edwin Uceta; QOC = U [Throwing At]).

Wrap: Milwaukee Brewers vs Tampa Bay Rays, 5/9/25 | Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Hoye's obstruction Type 1 call & base award gets Murphy ejected on base blocking

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[Velho]

I see U3 point that the tag got R3 and signals an out. No time is called as F5 guns for R1 at 2B.

Who called OBS?

[The Man in Blue]

He's chewing on Hoye, so I am assuming Hoye made the call after the camera cut away.

I know the current trend is towards not calling the out, but instead calling time immediately and making the award.  As I have said, I am not a fan of that.  We should be calling what is seen, killing play, and then making any additional or clarifying calls/awards. 

With the way replay is working, I think this is ammunition to for the mechanic of calling the out, calling time, and making the award.  If Hoye had not done that, a replay challenge would have come back and said he was out.  (Case in point, look at the push off calls we have seen.)

[jimurrayalterego]

28 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

He's chewing on Hoye, so I am assuming Hoye made the call after the camera cut away.

I know the current trend is towards not calling the out, but instead calling time immediately and making the award.  As I have said, I am not a fan of that.  We should be calling what is seen, killing play, and then making any additional or clarifying calls/awards. 

With the way replay is working, I think this is ammunition to for the mechanic of calling the out, calling time, and making the award.  If Hoye had not done that, a replay challenge would have come back and said he was out.  (Case in point, look at the push off calls we have seen.)

I think you have Type 1 and 2 confused as to mechanics. This was Type 1, immediate dead ball. The current trend for Type 2 is a delayed dead ball unless the runner is put out at his protected base. Then the call is "time".

[The Man in Blue]

I had to look at the book to get what you are saying @jimurrayalterego, but I think I got it.

You are correct that I was approaching this from a non-OBR perspective.  In OBR, Type 2 is the analogue.  

I am still thinking that the replay mindset has umpires making the call first.  Right or wrong, mechanically.

[Umpiresrock74]

I got to be at the whole game and watch the ejection live, even got video of it, it was awesome!