August 2021 Call of the Month - Cory Blaser's Safe Call

Tmac's choice for call of the month in August 2021 involves 3B Umpire Cory Blaser officiating a play in which Diamondbacks baserunner R3 Christian Walker attempts to safely dive back into third base as Phillies fielder Ronald Torreyes tries to apply a tag.

With none out and a runner on third base, D-Backs batter Drew Ellis hit a ground ball to third base several feet into fair territory. As Torreyes fields the ball, runner Walker, having obtained a secondary lead, attempts to return to third base as Torreyes attempts to retire the runner.

3B Umpire Blaser has both a fair/foul call (at the MLB level, many crews designate the 1B/3B Umpire as the umpire with fair/foul calling responsibility for balls fielded in the dirt cutout near first or third base, regardless of whether the ball was fielded in front of or behind the base) and a safe/out call on the runner. Watch along as Blaser prepares and adjusts to patiently rule the runner safe.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Call of the Month for August is Blaser's fair ball + safe call (CCS)