Ump Show: Red Sox give up run on foul ball that doesn’t leave infield

It feels like umpires have been judged under the magnifying glass this MLB season more than ever before. There's reason for this. It feels like umpires are as bad at their jobs as they have ever been. Forget missed strike calls. There have been several other issues involving umpires this season, and the Boston Red Sox were only the latest victim.

In Thursday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox were looking to avoid a frustrating series loss.

Things got off to a rough start, and the umpiring crew was right in the middle of that.

Brutal missed call costs the Red Sox an early run in Thursday's game vs. Rays

Red Sox starting pitcher Cooper Criswell found himself in a bit of a sticky situation in the second inning of the game, as he walked the leadoff hitter then allowed a single to give the Rays runners at the corners with nobody out. Allowing at least one run in that spot was certainly the expectation, but not in the fashion that he did.

Rays second baseman Richie Palacios fouled a pitch off of his foot. He knew it, the Red Sox knew it, everyone knew it except for the people who matter most. Home plate umpire Alex Tosi inexplicably ruled it a fair ball, leading to the Rays scoring their first run of the game.

The Red Sox got the out at first base, but that was because Palacios wasn't running. Palacios wasn't running because he knew it hit his foot. It should have been a foul ball. Red Sox first baseman Dom Smith took his sweet time to complete the play because he was confused as to why the umpires were deeming that there was a play for him to make. Jonathan Aranda alertly scored on the play, but he likely knew it had hit Palacios' foot too.

It was glaringly obvious. The worst part of this play wasn't even the call. Why didn't Alex Cora come out and argue? It's safe to assume that it wasn't challengeable, but he could have at least gotten the umpires together to try and overturn it. Yes, the Red Sox got the out, but preventing the run is more important.

Umpires missing a strike call is one thing. Missing the ball hitting the batter's foot is another. If the Red Sox wind up losing this game by one run, they'll have a bone to pick with Tosi and Co.