Everybody makes mistakes—even umpires.
Chris Fairchild is no exception, but where he stands out among his peers is his willingness to admit when he’s flubbed a call. That’s what happened Monday night when, during the top of the fifth inning of a game between the Mets and Braves, New York pitcher Chris Bassitt appeared to strike out Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson.
There was only one problem: Fairchild called the pitch a ball.
Bassitt couldn’t believe it, and perhaps his stunned reaction impacted his next pitch, which missed the strike zone and resulted in a two-out walk for Swanson.