MLB says umpires may have made mistake in foul ball saga during ninth inning of Padres-Cubs game

Major League Baseball made a rare decision Tuesday afternoon to address a controversial call in Monday night’s game between the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs.

Mason Miller, the Padres’ closer who has barely thrown a homer during the 2026 regular season, entered the game with his team holding a 9-5 lead. With the score at 1-1, Cubs’ infielder Matt Shaw hit a weak dribbler down the third-base line who faltered on the verge of fair or foul.

SAN DIEGO PADRES CLOSER MASON MILLER IS A CRAZY HUMAN CHEAT CODE WHO DESTROYED MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Padres third baseman Ty France tried to wait for the ball to enter foul territory, which is at least what it looks like from camera angles. While some of the ball traveled on the foul line, most of the ball appeared to be in foul territory. But home plate umpire Dan Merzel, who is at the top of the game, said it was fair.

Petco Park fans and Padres manager Craig Stammen were not happy about the situation. And Major League Baseball addressed those concerns, acknowledging that a mistake had been made.

Major League Baseball says umpires misunderstood controversial call

athletics Dennis Lin, who follows the Padres contacted the league office for a description of the call in the field. And the league’s response appears to contradict Merzel’s decision.

Lin said the league referred him to the Referee’s Guide, which states that the ball must be “in contact” with fair territory to not be considered a foul.

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“To be judged fair, the ball must be in contact with the fair territory, not just on the fair territory, when it touches the ground.”

San Diego Padres third baseman Ty France reacts to umpire Dan Merzel’s handling of a single off Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw during the ninth inning at Petco Park in San Diego, Calif., on April 27, 2026. (Denis Poroy/Imagn Images)

While we would stop short of saying that this call was a complete mistake, this response seems to indicate that the league is opposing this call on the field. And it’s hard to judge based on camera angles alone. The cameras have a different perspective than the referee on the field, who couldn’t have been in a better position. Many comments on social media noted that the decision was consistent with the league’s official rules, as well as precedents set by similar plays and calls.

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France, however, thought the play was a foul and told reporters after the game: “The roll stopped and I thought it was a foul, but they said otherwise.”

Mason Miller watches the ninth inning of the game between the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs as Freddy Fermin and Gavin Sheets approach the mound at Petco Park on April 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Shaw scored, ending Miller’s long scoreless streak of 34 ⅔, but after a brief rally, Miller and the Padres held on to win 9-7. Miller responded succinctly, saying, “The Padres won.” “At the end of the day, that’s what matters.”