MLB Umpire C.B. Bucknor Injured, Leaves Field During Rays vs. Brewers

Umpire C.B. Bucknor, who has been one of the main characters to start the 2026 MLB season, left Wednesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers after being hit by a foul ball.

In the top of the second inning, Jacob Misirowski's fastball that was clocked at 100.2 mph was fouled off by Nick Fortes and hit Bucknor directly in the mask.

Bucknor got checked out on the field before leaving the field. First-base umpire Chad Fairchild took Bucknor's spot behind the plate, with Jeremy Rehak going from second to first base and Dan Iassogna handling second and third base.

Bucknor just started his 27th season as an umpire. He made his MLB debut in 1999 after working 10 seasons in the minors.

The 63-year-old has made a lot of unintentional noise through the first week with the new ABS challenge system in place. He had six calls overturned in the March 28 game between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds.

There was also a situation in Tuesday's Rays-Brewers game in which Jake Bauers reached first base after a throwing error by Ben Williamson, but Bucknor ruled that Bauers didn't touch the bag and called him out even though it was clear his cleat made full contact with the base.

The call was overturned on replay, giving Bauers first base and extending the inning. Milwaukee would come around to score on Brandon Lockridge's double six pitches later.

Even though it's not common for umpire crews to work shorthanded, it does happen on occasion due to situations like this.

Fairchild worked second and third base in the first two games of the series. Bucknor was the ump at second base in the series opener, followed by first base on Tuesday night.

Wednesday marks the final game of the three-game series between the Rays and Brewers.