MLB Umpire CB Bucknor Injured, Exits Rays-Brewers Game
MLB umpire CB Bucknor was injured during the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers game on Wednesday afternoon. In the […]
Michael McLoone-Imagn Images MLB umpire CB Bucknor was injured during the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers game on Wednesday afternoon. In the second inning, Bucknor was hit in the mask by a foul tip off Nick Fortes’ bat. The umpire dropped to the ground and was attended by medical trainers in a delay.
Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski threw a 100 mile per hour fastball and Fortes sent it into Bucknor’s mask in a direct hit. In Bucknor’s place, Chad Fairchild took over behind the plate. Thankfully, the 63-year-old eventually walked off the field and down to the clubhouse.
It has been a rough start to the 2026 MLB season for Bucknor, who has been subject to criticism due to his ball-strike calls. Bucknor, who has been an MLB umpire since the 1996 season, has among the worst results in MLB’s new ABS challenge system. In fact, six of the eight challenges against Bucknor during the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds game were overturned.
Most notably, Bucknor was in the spotlight for his call during the Rays-Brewers game on Tuesday night. Bucknor was working as the first-base umpire when he called Jake Bauers out on an infield single in the sixth inning for not touching the bag. The replay showed Bauers clearly touching the top of the bag and the call was overturned.