WATCH: MLB umpire calls shocking strikeout on Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar, makes three wrong calls

Earlier this week, Lars Nootbaar's St. Louis Cardinals swept the Baltimore Orioles. However, the surprising event against one of MLB's best hitting teams was not the only unexpected one of the series.

In the third inning of Wednesday's game, Nootbaar was facing Orioles pitcher John Means. After watching two outside breaking balls get called for strikes, the Cardinals outfielder adopted a tighter stance. As Nootbaar watched a third ball from Means sail wide, home plate umpire Charlie Ramos called strike three.

Here's the video:

"It was apparently decided ahead of time that lars nootbaar would strike out" - Codify

As the third strike was called, Nootbaar turned to Ramos in disbelief but didn't protest excessively. The 26 year-old would go on to record an RBI single as well as another strikeout as the Cardinals bested the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 to complete the three-game sweep.

The sequence has sparked fierce discussion among obersvers. Recently, more conversation has occured regarding the introduction of electronic umpires into MLB.

While proponents say that such measures would serve to mitigate botched calls such as these, skeptics argue that the introduction of so-called "robo-umps" would rob the game of excitement and trademark subjectivity.

A member of the St. Louis Cardinals since 2021, Nootbaar missed the first two weeks of the season with a rib fracture. Since returning, the California-native is hitting .213/.329/.386 with five home runs and 18 RBIs.

Despite the sweep against the Orioles this week, the Cardinals are still struggling. Having finished last in their division last year for the first time since 1990, Nootbaar's club is 23-26, some five games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in their division, the National League Central.

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Lars Nootbaar's recent poor luck at home plate

After he was called out on strikes, Nootbaar was careful not to draw the ire of Ramos. That was likely due to the fact that, in the prior game, Lars Nootbaar was ejected after arguing a strikeout call with umpire Mike Estabrook.

"Cardinals RF Lars Nootbaar is ejected in the first inning of Tuesday's game against the Orioles." - The Comeback

Despite the fact that Lars Nootbaar has hit .250 with two home runs and six RBIs over the past week, these calls represent a pinnacle of frustration for any player. As the season progresses, it's likely that unorthodox judgement calls such as this will only heat up the debate between technologists and traditionalists.