The New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, who is 64 years old, was spotted talking to the umpires during the third inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field in New York City, New York, USA on May 23, 2025. The game was quite eventful, with a play that left many fans scratching their heads and pondering the intricacies of baseball rules.
In the top of the third inning, with one out and two runners on base for the Dodgers, Mookie Betts hit a line drive into right-center field. Both Juan Soto and Tyrone Taylor went after the ball, with Soto almost making the catch but ultimately dropping it. However, Taylor, sprinting towards the ball, managed to grab it with his bare right hand before it hit the ground. At the same time, Michael Conforto from second base and Shohei Ohtani from first base tagged up and prepared to advance.
It seemed like Conforto left his base before Taylor had full control of the ball, but a unique technicality in MLB rules allowed the play to continue. According to the rulebook, a runner can leave the base once the ball touches the glove, regardless of whether the catch is completed. This ruling prevented a potential double play, giving the Dodgers an extended inning that was later interrupted by rain. The game continued with the Mets facing Freddie Freeman with two outs in the top of the third inning, keeping the score tied at 0-0. The rain-soaked game eventually ended with the Dodgers winning 7-5 in extra innings, making it the longest Mets game in the era of ghost runners.
Despite a valiant ninth-inning comeback attempt by the Mets to tie the game after being down by three runs, they couldn’t secure the win in the 10th, 11th, or 12th innings. The Dodgers finally broke the deadlock in the top of the 13th inning, scoring two runs and securing their victory. The two teams were set to face each other again on Saturday night at Citi Field, promising another exciting matchup for baseball fans.
