Padres confront MLB umpires after season-ending Wild Card loss

The San Diego Padres' 2025 postseason ended in controversy following a critical blown call by home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn in the ninth inning of their Wild Card Series Game 3 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Reyburn called a strike on a pitch to Xander Bogaerts that was widely regarded as a ball, negating a potential bases-loaded situation with no outs and effectively ending the Padres' rally and season. This call sparked a heated confrontation between Padres players, including Bogaerts and Jose Iglesias, and the umpires as they exited the field, with coaches restraining players from escalating the altercation. Padres manager Mike Shildt and Bogaerts expressed frustration, highlighting the impact of the call and looking forward to the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System set to debut in 2026, which would allow such calls to be challenged and potentially overturned. While the Padres’ offense struggled overall during the series, the blown call was a pivotal moment that underscored the urgency for implementing ABS to prevent similar incidents. The incident has fueled calls for umpires to be held accountable and for the ABS system to be adopted sooner to ensure fair play in critical game moments.