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Blue Jays-Athletics being played under protest

Bob Stanton / USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Athletics are playing Thursday night's game with the Toronto Blue Jays under protest after a controversial play in the top of the second inning.

The Blue Jays had the bases loaded with one out when Anthony Gose hit a sharp ground ball to first baseman Nate Freiman, who missed the tag on the base runner heading from first to second (Munenori Kawasaki) according to the first base umpire, and then fired to home plate to get the force out as determined by the home plate ump.

However, after a Blue Jays' initiated review, the umpires determined Freiman did place the tag on Kawasaki, ruling out the possibility of a force out at home plate (catcher Stephen Vogt did not apply a tag to the runner attempting to score).

Toronto, therefore, was granted a run and took a 1-0 lead, prompting the A's to play the game under protest.

Here are the protest (Rule 4.19) guidelines as per the MLB website:
 

Each league shall adopt rules governing procedure for protesting a game, when a manager claims that an umpire’s decision is in violation of these rules. No protest shall ever be permitted on judgment decisions by the umpire. In all protested games, the decision of the League President shall be final.


Even if it is held that the protested decision violated the rules, no replay of the game will be ordered unless in the opinion of the League President the violation adversely affected the protesting team’s chances of winning the game.
 

Rule 4.19 Comment: Whenever a manager protests a game because of alleged misapplication of the rules the protest will not be recognized unless the umpires are notified at the time the play under protest occurs and before the next pitch, play or attempted play. A protest arising on a game-ending play may be filed until 12 noon the following day with the league office. 

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