Brewers vs. Dodgers: Manny Machado's slide makes a splash in the third game of NLCS; here is what the MLB rules book says

The revised calculation rule at the second base is a fertile source of controversy since its implementation, and the third game of the NLCS between Brewers and Dodgers has provided us with the latest example.

In the fourth inning on Monday night, L.A.'s Manny Machado took off from Cody Bellinger's first goal on the right side, and at first it appeared that Bellinger's speed was preventing a possible double play.

Machado was judged to have interfered with Orlando Arcia after the forced pullout of the second, and as such, Bellinger was also called at the start, although Arcia did not really have a chance to get it. It's a double play 3-6-1 in the books thanks to Machado's interference.

Here is the screenshot that says …

Machado reached out and, without exaggerating, grabbed Arcia's leg. Under rule 6.01, this would appear to qualify as "deliberate and willful" interference with the defensive player, which you can not do.

In addition, the revised rules state that the rider must meet four conditions for the slider to be considered legal:

1. He begins his slide (that is, makes contact with the ground) before reaching the base;

2. He is able and tries to reach the base with his hand or foot;

3. He is able and tries to stay on the base (except baseplate) after the end of the slide; and …

4. He slips within range of the base without changing his path in order to come into contact with a defensive player.

The Machado slide can certainly be interpreted as a violation of number 3 above. So he probably violated the rules on two different fronts, which is why the call on the ground was canceled. As you can see in the video above, Machado also almost got involved in the second run, but she was allowed to stay up.

Whatever the case may be, if Machado had made a legal slide, the Dodgers would have put Bellinger in the lead with an exit and Yasiel Puig and Yasmani Grandal due. We will never know, of course, but the round could have been different and Jhoulys Chacin might have been out of the game earlier.

Machado, however, did not allow this to happen.