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The White Sox challenged whether Jose Altuve was positioned legally in the infield dirt during Game 1 of their wild-card series against Houston. Replay officials upheld the call, and manager Will Venable credited video coordinator Bryan Johnson for spotting the potential violation.
The Chicago White Sox challenged whether Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was standing with both feet on the infield dirt when a pitch was delivered during Game 1 of their American League Wild Card Series on Tuesday, and manager Will Venable said afterward the review was worth using even though the call on the field stood.
The play occurred in the fourth inning of Chicago’s 6-3 win at Houston. With the White Sox leading 4-0 and nobody out, Sam Antonacci hit a ground ball to Altuve, who moved to his left and a couple steps onto the outfield grass to field it for an easy putout. Chicago’s bench immediately challenged, asking officials to check whether Altuve had both feet in the infield dirt when the pitch was released.
On the television broadcast replays, it was difficult to determine whether Altuve’s back heel was slightly touching the grass, according to the Houston Chronicle. Officials ruled Altuve was positioned legally and the call stood. Had the challenge succeeded, Antonacci would have been awarded first base, Altuve would have been charged with an error, and the at-bat would not have counted against the hitter.
Venable credited Bryan Johnson, the team’s replay and video coordinator, with noticing Altuve’s positioning. “That comes from the B.J. in the replay center who is aware of all those things and looking closely at all those things,” Venable said. “With two challenges, we talked about it before the game, before the series, that we want to go ahead and be aggressive. And so he noticed something immediately, that Altuve was on the grass to start. The problem with it is it’s just a really hard call to get overturned, but worth it with two challenges there.”
Why the White Sox Spent a Challenge
In the postseason, managers are allowed two challenges per game and keep a challenge if it succeeds, which Venable said made the gamble reasonable with a four-run lead and nobody out in the inning. Positioning challenges are rare: Venable’s was just the third challenge on infield positioning in all of 2026, according to the Houston Chronicle.
A successful challenge would have removed an out from the inning and put a runner on first with none out, a meaningful shift in a playoff game even with Chicago ahead. The episode also shows how teams now monitor defensive positioning as closely as plays on the ball, with replay staff watching for rule violations before they are obvious on the field.
The 2023 Shift Ban Behind the Rule
The positioning rule stems from MLB’s 2023 crackdown on the infield shift, which came after analytics-driven teams, including the Astros, stacked fielders on one side of the infield or moved an infielder into shallow outfield grass. The rule requires teams to keep two infielders on each side of second base, positioned no deeper than the back edge of the infield dirt when a pitch is delivered.
Violations have become rare as teams adjusted. According to the Houston Chronicle, 26 violations were called in 2023, only two in 2024 — one by current Astros third baseman Carlos Correa, then Minnesota’s shortstop, when he ventured too far across second base — and one in 2025.
What the Replay Actually Showed
The closest angle available on the television broadcast made it tough to tell whether Altuve’s back heel was touching the grass at the moment of the pitch, according to the Houston Chronicle’s account. Officials ruled he was positioned properly, but MLB has not publicly released additional camera angles showing his feet at the moment the pitch was released. Venable himself noted such calls are “really hard to get overturned,” suggesting the standard of evidence works against challengers in these reviews.
The Rest of the Series
The White Sox took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three wild-card series with the win. After the ruling went his way, Altuve looked across the diamond at shortstop Jeremy Peña and smiled while checking that his feet were fully on the dirt for the next batter — a sign, at minimum, that positioning will stay on both teams’ radar. Venable indicated Chicago plans to remain aggressive with its two challenges per game throughout the series, so similar positioning reviews could follow.
Key Questions
What rule did the White Sox think Jose Altuve broke?
They believed Altuve did not have both feet on the infield dirt when the pitch was delivered. Since 2023, MLB has required two infielders on each side of second base, positioned no deeper than the back edge of the infield dirt.
What would have happened if the challenge succeeded?
Sam Antonacci would have been awarded first base, Altuve would have been charged with an error, and the at-bat would not have counted against the hitter.
Did the challenge cost the White Sox a review?
Yes. In the postseason managers get two challenges per game and retain one only if it succeeds. This challenge was unsuccessful, so Chicago lost it.
How common are infield positioning challenges?
Very rare. According to the Houston Chronicle, Venable’s challenge was just the third on infield positioning in all of 2026, and only one shift violation was called league-wide in 2025.
Who spotted the potential violation for the White Sox?
Manager Will Venable credited Bryan Johnson, the team’s replay and video coordinator, with noticing Altuve’s positioning and prompting the challenge.
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