The Giants emerged victorious in a thrilling comeback victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday evening at Wrigley Field. The game was marked by a difficult strike zone from home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez, which posed challenges for both the Giants and viewers at home alike.
Following the game, umpire evaluators confirmed that Gonzalez missed a season-high 27 calls during Monday’s matchup. Umpire Scorecards recorded 26 missed calls and a plus-1.19 run expectancy for the Cubs attributed to Gonzalez’s calls. According to Umpire Scorecards, the three most impactful calls all went against the Giants.
Manager Bob Melvin reached his breaking point after nearly eight innings of questionable calls from Gonzalez. He was ejected from the game for expressing his frustration before heading to the Giants’ clubhouse to cool off. When speaking to reporters after the game, Melvin acknowledged the challenges faced by umpires in high-pressure situations but emphasized the importance of finding a good pitch to hit and maintaining composure to secure a win.
Despite Gonzalez’s inconsistent strike zone, which contributed to the unpredictable nature of his calls, the Giants rallied back with a solo homer from Patrick Bailey and a go-ahead three-run homer from Thairo Estrada in the ninth inning. In doing so, they overcame a 6-3 deficit and secured their 36th win of the season against the Cubs.
Gonzalez had already established himself as one of MLB’s least consistent home plate umpires prior to Monday’s game, further complicating matters for both teams on this exciting night at Wrigley Field.
