The Yankees and Padres were locked in a scoreless tie Tuesday when a controversial balk call against Clarke Schmidt gifted San Diego the game’s first run.
With the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Schmidt went into his windup and was flagged for a balk by the second-base umpire. The call allowed all runners to advance, bringing home the opening run.
Here’s the play that had the Yankees fuming:
The Padres score the first run of the game on a bases-loaded balk pic.twitter.com/tvsnkRksFE
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 7, 2025
The second-base umpire made the call, not home plate. You can see Schmidt turning around in confusion after being called for the infraction.
What likely triggered the call was Schmidt’s initial hip movement, which could be interpreted as a separate motion rather than the start of his delivery. But watching the full sequence, it’s pretty clear he was simply beginning his windup.
This is where things get tricky. Umpires rarely see pitchers work from the windup with runners on base. Right-handers often go to the windup with the bases loaded for comfort, knowing the risk of a stolen base is minimal.
That comfort choice cost Schmidt and the Yankees here.
The call visibly frustrated manager Aaron Boone, who’ll need to rally his team after what appears to be a questionable decision that put them in an early hole.
