Panama’s José Caballero Became the Center of a Controversy Due to a New York Yankees Refereeing Decision

Panamanian José Caballero pictured below was once again the protagonist in the Major Leagues, this time in a controversial play during the New York Yankees’ 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.  The moment came in the bottom of the fourth inning, with the score tied 1-1 and the Phillies threatening with runners on first and second and one out. In that context, Bryson Stott hit a line drive to shortstop, where Caballero reacted quickly.  The Panamanian infielder managed to stop the ball, although he didn’t secure it cleanly on the first contact. In the same action, he gathered the rebound and headed to second base intending to complete a double play that would have ended the inning and neutralized the danger. 

However, the play took an unexpected turn. Second base umpire Brennan Miller determined that Caballero had intentionally dropped the ball, applying the deliberately dropped ball rule. The decision negated the possibility of a double play, as only the batter was called out and the runners returned to their bases, keeping the opposing offense alive.  The decision generated surprise both on the field and in the Yankees’ dugout, as the action occurred in a matter of seconds and there did not appear to be clear evidence of intent on the part of the player.  “I was very surprised,” Caballero told US media after the game.  “They really have a high opinion of me: I can catch the ball, drop it, and grab the rebound in one motion,” he added. 

Umpires ruled this an “intentionally dropped ball” by Jose Caballero, which wiped away what would have been an inning-ending double play. The Yankees escaped the inning without surrendering a run, but this seems like a botched call.

For his part, director Aaron Boone also referred to the play, calling it an “officiating error,” although without going into detail about the controversy after the game.  The rule applied by the umpire aims to prevent fielders from deliberately dropping an easy ball to force double plays with runners stopped on base. However, on this occasion, the interpretation was unclear due to the speed of the play.