Why did Jonah Heim motion for a challenge after a home run? Rangers catcher’s celebration explained

Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim blasted a home run and remembered the controversial ending to his last game. The catcher was called for blocking home plate on what ended up as the games deciding run, which angered and infuriated many. So when he hit a home run that nobody could take away from him he reminded them of the last time they reviewed one of his plays.

Moments like this show how important winning is to these players, and how they are affected by these controversial calls. Fans are often incensed by the negative results, but it is a much more personal for these players.

Jomboy Media shared a video of the taunt made by Heim during his home run trot.

"Jonah Heim got called for blocking the plate last night. He did the challenge motion as he rounded the bases after his home run tonight" - Jomboy Media

For anyone who missed it, Codify Baseball on Twitter showed how absurd the call that led to this taunt was.

"Heim's plate-blocking violation" - Codify Baseball

Giving MLB players any amount of extra motivation will usually result in highlight reel home runs like this.

The catcher's violation against Jonah Heim is one of the worst calls of the season

Umpires in the MLB do not have an easy job, but the review system is supposed to help them. This time, they used the system correctly, but came to a conclusion virtually nobody agrees with. With all the advancements in technology baseball has seen, it is surprising that we still see so many mistakes.

This call cost the Rangers a win against the White Sox, which they had likely penciled in as a victory. With how contested the American League West has been so far, that one loss could make a huge difference in the end.