"Wear your cap straight!" Rookie pitcher scolded by umpire for mumbling, league office issues warning → U.S. fans: "Has he been intoxicated by power?"

*This content was translated by AI.

A Major League Baseball (MLB) veteran umpire who approached a rookie pitcher making his debut and gave the bizarre lecture, "Fix your cap," has finally bowed his head after receiving reprimand from the league office.

The U.S. sports outlet "The Athletic" reported on the 7th (Korea time), citing sources, that "umpire Doug Edings (57) who sparked controversy by pointing out how St. Louis Cardinals rookie relief pitcher Hansel Rincon (24) wore his cap has received a warning from the MLB office stating his actions were inappropriate."

According to the report, the incident occurred during a game between the Colorado Rockies and St. Louis on the 5th. In the bottom of the sixth inning with one out, as Rincon took the mound for his MLB debut and the ball count reached 2-0, umpire Edings suddenly stopped the game. He then called over St. Louis catcher Leo Bernall and instructed him to "tell the pitcher to wear his cap straight." The reason was that Rincon had worn his cap at a slant.

However, there is no explicit rule in baseball regulations regarding how a player must wear their cap. In response, St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol strongly protested, stating, "He abused his authority extremely and unnecessarily against a rookie who just debuted in the big leagues," and was subsequently ejected from the game.

After the game, umpire Edings explained that "the opposing batter pointed out and criticized Rincon's cap-wearing style," but a Colorado Rockies official refuted this, saying, "No batter ever said such a thing," spreading controversy over whether his explanation was false.

Eventually, the MLB office intervened. While acknowledging that umpires have discretion to control elements that interfere with play, the league concluded that this action clearly crossed the line. The office officially warned that umpire Edings' behavior was inappropriate.

Umpire Edings, who received the league's reprimand, stopped Rincon on the field before the game on the following day, the 7th, as he headed to the bullpen and unusually conveyed his apology directly. An MLB office spokesperson briefly remarked, "The gesture of apology from the dugout made on Saturday's field says it all."

Rincon, who primarily speaks Spanish, replied, "I didn't understand everything in English, but (the umpire) seemed to be sorry about what happened yesterday, and I heard him wish me luck in the big leagues," adding, "I have no personal feelings and will treat it as part of the game." While the atmosphere suggests moving past the incident as a mere mishap, fans in the United States were outraged. Various social media platforms saw reactions such as, "Has the umpire been intoxicated by power?"

Meanwhile, Rincon also appeared on the mound wearing his cap at a slant during the game on the 6th, and no one pointed out his cap that day. Ahead of the game on the 7th, St. Louis transferred Rincon to their Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, via option assignment.

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*This content was translated by AI.