Story, who went 1-for-6 with a home run, also spoke about the check-swing ruling, noting his strong disagreement with the call and indicating there was little else to add after expressing his views to reporters. The game featured a late-inning absence of successful challenges for Boston, as Roman Anthony used his second chance early and ultimately left the team with no remaining challenges in the 11th.
Bucknor’s performance in the early-season ABS data had already been under scrutiny, with a high rate of overturned calls on challenges compared with other umpires, drawing attention from media outlets tracking accuracy in ball-and-strike judgments. Among Red Sox hitters, Wilyer Abreu stood out with a 2-for-5 showing, including a homer, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Reds in extra innings.
Anthony reflected on his missed challenge later, viewing it as a lesson learned for the season ahead. He acknowledged the mistake and emphasized the importance of managing challenges more carefully, a theme echoed by teammates as Boston continues spring training and evaluation.
The loss adds another chapter to early-season discussions about umpiring in MLB’s new challenge system, with Bucknor’s performance becoming a focal point for the Red Sox and their supporters as the team prepares for upcoming games.
