CB Bucknor leaves game after taking foul tip to facemask

It has been a rough 24 hours for C.B. Bucknor.

On Tuesday night, the longtime Major League Baseball umpire made an egregious call when, without looking, he ruled a runner did not touch first base and called him out — yet Jake Bauers’ cleat hit smack-dab in the middle of the bag.

After going viral on social media, Bucknor, 63, took an even harder job on Wednesday by going behind the plate, which in the ABS era has put umpires under the biggest microscope they’ve ever been under.

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Umpire C.B. Bucknor is injured in the second inning on a foul ball and leaves during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and 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 foul tipped and hit him directly in his facemask.

Flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski was on the bump for the Milwaukee Brewers facing Nick Fortes of the Tampa Bay Rays when Fortes fouled the pitch off. Both Fortes and Brewers catcher William Contreras immediately knew the severity of the situation.

Brewers training staff came onto the field to tend to a shaken up Bucknor, who left shortly after.

Umpire C.B. Bucknor is assisted by medical personnel after taking a foul pitch to the facemask during the first inning of the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers game in the first inning at American Family Field. (Michael McLoone/Imagn Images)

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The game was delayed several minutes as the umpiring crew needed someone new behind the plate — the remainder of the game went with three umps.

Milwaukee scored six runs in the eighth inning to take an 8-2 victory for their fifth win in their first six games of the season.

Bucknor has been an umpire since 1996, working 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 foul pitch to the facemask during the first inning of the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers game in the first inning at American Family Field.  (Michael McLoone/Imagn Images)

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Bucknor has previously left at least two games, including one in 2013 where he took another foul tip to the mask.

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