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It has been a rough 24 hours for CB Bucknor.
On Tuesday night, the longtime Major League Baseball umpire made an egregious call when, without looking, he ruled that a runner didn’t touch first base and called him out — yet Jake Bauers’ cleat hit the middle of the bag.
After going viral on social media, Bucknor, 63, took on an even tougher job on Wednesday by going behind the plate, which in the ABS era has put umpires under the biggest scrutiny they’ve ever been under.
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Umpire CB Bucknor is injured in the second inning on a foul ball and leaves during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at American Family Field on April 1, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (John Fisher/Getty Images)
Well, Bucknor’s day ended early after a 100.2 mph pitch was tipped wrong and hit him squarely in his facemask.
Flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski was on the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers against Nick Fortes of the Tampa Bay Rays when Fortes struck out. Both Fortes and Brewers catcher William Contreras immediately knew the gravity of the situation.
The Brewers training staff came onto the field to tend to a shaken Bucknor, who left shortly after.
Umpire CB Bucknor is assisted by medical personnel after taking a bad pitch to the facemask during the first inning of the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers first inning game at American Family Field. (Michael McLoone/Imagn Images)
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The game was delayed several minutes as the umpiring team needed a new one behind the plate – the rest of the game went with three umps.
Milwaukee scored six runs in the eighth inning to take an 8-2 win for their fifth win in their first six games of the season.
Bucknor has been an umpire since 1996 and has worked the 2005 and 2021 All-Star Game as well as five American League Division Series. He is one of the two longest-tenured umpires in the majors and has been on the field for two no-hitters.
Umpire CB Bucknor is assisted by medical personnel after taking a bad pitch to the facemask during the first inning of the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers first inning game at American Family Field. (Michael McLoone/Imagn Images)
Bucknor has previously left at least two games, including one in 2013 when he took another bad tip to the mask.
