Since returning from a strained left oblique that placed him on the 15-day IL until his reinstatement as the Diamondbacks closer on May 7th, opposing hitters have found little success against the 34-year-old Paul Sewald.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Although Sewald allowed a run in his first outing of the season, he has since embarked on a 10.2-inning consecutive shutout streak. During this span, he has secured seven saves, struck out 10 batters, and allowed just two hits.
Despite his impressive start to the 2024 season, Sewald did not hold back his thoughts on the current state of MLB umpiring during his appearance on the Chris Rose Rotation podcast.
Sewald stated that the primary issue with umpiring in Major League Baseball is the lack of accountability. While he acknowledged that the vast majority of umpires do a good job, he noted that 5-10% of them are straight awful.
To address this problem, Sewald focused on the age issue, pointing out that it is nearly impossible for someone over 75 years old to accurately judge a 100 MPH fastball crossing the plate.
Considering the difficulty professional baseball players have in tracking a 100 MPH fastball, Sewald’s argument is compelling. He stated, “Think about your eyesight now vs. when you were like 16… If you’re 75 you shouldn’t be behind home plate”
Via @ChrisRoseSports
Paul Sewald says there needs to be a system for holding umpires accountable pic.twitter.com/gW7bwiucFm
— Chris Rose Sports (@ChrisRoseSports) June 20, 2024
On the podcast, Sewald also revisited his pennant-saving outing in Game 7 of the 2023 NLCS, when it took him just 15 pitches to retire the Phillies in order, ultimately sending the Diamondbacks to the World Series.
Describing the experience, Sewald said, “That’s one of the best days of my life.”
Paul Sewald rewatches his pennant-clinching save
“That’s one of the best days of my life” pic.twitter.com/x20e5L3pes
— Chris Rose Sports (@ChrisRoseSports) June 17, 2024
