Tim McClelland thought he had the right calls "in his heart" - MLB

Tim McClelland all but admits to the need for instant replay at the press conference after last night’s game:

As far as the two calls that I had at third base. The first one with Swisher leaving too soon. In my heart I thought he left too soon. On the play with Cano and Posada, I thought Cano was on the base. I was waiting for two players to be on the base, and when there was never the situation where both of them were on the base at the same time. When he tagged Cano, I thought Cano was on the base, and when Jorge touched the base and continued and tagged Posada out, I thought Posada was out.

After looking at replays, I’m not sure I believe the replay of the first one. I said in my heart I thought he left too soon. But the replay showed that he didn’t. We go in and watch replays regularly after every game, even during the regular season. That’s part of our procedures.

Then the second one it showed that Cano was off the bag when he was tagged. I did not see that for whatever reason. So obviously there were two missed calls. Obviously, or not obviously, but there were two missed calls.

And I’m just out there trying to do my job and do it the best I can. And unfortunately there was by instant replay, there were two missed calls.

Good for McClelland for admitting his mistakes. And for, however unwittingly, making the best case for the expansion of instant replay yet. Umpires can’t be making calls based on what’s “in their heart.” In each of these cases, the replay got it right, and even an umpire admits it.

Based on what we’ve seen this offseason, baseball can not deny the need to do something with respect to replay this winter.

CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”