Protested game

A protested game occurs in baseball when a manager believes that an umpire's decision is in violation of the official rules.

Protests were allowed in Major League Baseball (MLB) through the 2019 season, after which they were abolished, thus making all games official following their conclusion.

[1] A protested game was reviewed and adjudicated by the league president,[1] or the executive vice president of baseball operations,[2][3] who could order a game resumed (replayed from the point of the protested decision) only if finding the umpire's decision was in violation of the rules and the decision "adversely affected the protesting team’s chances of winning the game.

"[1][a] A well-known example of a protested game in MLB was the Pine Tar Incident in 1983, which was the only time that a protested game in the American League was ordered replayed from the point-of-protest.

An umpire's judgment call (such as balls and strikes, safe or out, fair or foul) could not be protested.

American League president Lee MacPhail upheld the protest by the Kansas City Royals in the Pine Tar Incident in 1983.