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Geraldo Perdomo strikeout controversy, explained: How umpire botched huge call in final pitch of WBC semifinal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Whenever you have a sporting event that is played on a big stage, the last thing you want is for the game to come down to an incorrect call by an official. But that is what happened as the United States beat the Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinals.
Major League Baseball is instituting robot umpires for the 2026 regular season, but international baseball rules don't use them or a challenge system. Team USA benefited from two strikeout calls that were pretty egregious, especially when you see where they ended up. The first came against Juan Soto in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he went down looking to begin the frame.
While that one was bad, the more egregious one unfortunately came on the final pitch of the game. Geraldo Perdomo was batting with the game-tying run on third. He was facing a full count and was rung up on a pitch that was clearly low. While it was inherently a bad call, it was the biggest of the night as it ended the game, eliminated the Dominican Republic, and sent the U.S. to the championship game Tuesday night.
Here is more on the controversial strike call against Perdomo that sealed the win for the USA over the Dominican Republic.
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Geraldo Perdomo strikeout controversy, explained
The Dominican Republic was down to its final strike. Perdomo was facing a full count against Team USA closer Mason Miller. The right-handed pitcher had blown some triple-digit fastballs by the switch hitter, but Perdomo had started adjusting and was fouling them off. Miller opted to risk a slider on the final pitch of the at-bat. It was low, and Perdomo began walking to toss his bat and take off his shin guard on his way to first.
Then the umpire signaled for the strikeout.
That call proved to be massive, as it ended the game, eliminated the Dominican Republic, and clinched a spot in the championship game for Team USA. There is no review in the WBC on pitch calls, but the replay shows the ball was clearly low and the call was bad.
MORE: How did the USA beat the Dominican Republic?
Juan Soto strikeout
The Perdomo call wasn't the first bad call of the game that went against the Dominican Republic. The home plate umpire had a fluid strike zone throughout the game, but Soto's strikeout was especially memorable because it came against a high-profile player in a close game.
MORE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC 2026:
- The biggest differences between WBC vs. MLB
- How many innings in World Baseball Classic games?
- Why WBC games can end early with mercy rule
- How qualifying, pool play, standings and more work in the WBC
Does World Baseball Classic use robot umpires?
No. MLB is instituting robot umpires for the first time in the 2026 regular season. While they have been tested in the minor leagues, the change hasn't been made to international baseball rules. The call against Soto and the game-ending call against Perdomo will likely be all the fuel that is needed to make robot umpires a necessity for the 2030 World Baseball Classic.
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