Scary moment veteran MLB umpire forced out of game after 100mph foul ball hits him from close range
MLB umpire C.B. Bucknor was already having a bad week when he took the field for Wednesday’s game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays.
But things got worse in the second inning, in a frightening scene where a foul ball from Nick Fortes hit the mask at point-blank range after Jacob Misiorowski threw at more than 100 mph.
Bucknor, 63, fell to his hands and knees when Brewers catcher William Contreras quickly turned to help him. Athletic trainers also rushed over and a dazed Bucknor was helped to his feet before being helped off the field for further treatment.
Overall, there was a delay of about 15 minutes before first base umpire Chad Fairchild replaced Bucknor.
‘This sucks. “It’s never fun to watch a guy throw a pitch like that,” Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski said after the game, which the Brewers won 6-2.
The incident comes as scrutiny on Bucknor increases as the league implements the Automatic Strike Tackle System (ABS).
MLB umpire C.B. Bucknor hit the mask with a 100 mph foul ball during a game on Wednesday.
It’s been a tough week for the experienced referee, who has made a number of controversial decisions
Replays showed the ball hitting Bucknor’s mask before he was injured.
On Saturday, the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds successfully overturned six of eight tackles on Bucknor’s ball-and-strike calls.
He then called out Trevor Story for a controlled hit, and with the Red Sox out of trouble, Storey and coach Alex Cora exploded in Bucknor.
Cora was ejected from the game, but his rivalry with Bucknor continued after the game.
“There’s only one job he has to do, call balls and make strikes,” Cora told reporters. ‘It wasn’t his best day. That’s what the system does. It’s out there, everyone sees it, and he’ll be the first to admit it.’
Things got worse for Bucknor, who became the first base umpire for the Brewers-Rays on Tuesday.
He awkwardly eliminated Jake Bauers for missing the bag while running to first base. Replays very quickly showed Bucknor was at fault, and the Brewers successfully challenged the call.
But he was receiving sympathy from both teams after Wednesday night’s upset. Bucknor has been a referee since 1996.
