MLB denies Rays' protest of Saturday's game vs. Blue Jays

Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that the Tampa Bay Rays' protest of Saturday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays has been denied.

No reason was given by the league office.

Rays manager Joe Maddon told Saturday's umpiring crew that he was playing the remainder of the game under protest because the Blue Jays were granted a review in the fourth inning after pitcher Mark Buehrle had already taken his place on the pitching rubber.

In the Rays' view, play had resumed and the Jays were not permitted to issue a challenge.

Tampa Bay was not questioning the ruling of the challenge itself, but rather that the review was granted too late.

Maddon made his case to MLB executive vice president Joe Torre on Sunday, and said he had an "adequate amount of hope" that his protest would be upheld.

It would have been the second upheld protest in less than a week. The Giants' protest of last Tuesday's rain-shortened loss to the Chicago Cubs was upheld and the game was completed on Thursday.