Umpire C.B. Bucknor leaves Rays-Brewers game after foul tip strikes him in his face mask

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Major League Baseball umpire CB Bucknor, center, exits the game after being hit by a foul ball during the second inning of a baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Umpire CB Bucknor, center, looks on after being hit by a foul ball during the second inning of a baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Milwaukee. Bucknor excited the game following the incident. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf) — Major League Baseball umpire CB Bucknor, center, exits the game after being hit by a foul ball during the second inning of a baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

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3:01 PM on Wednesday, April 1

The Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor left the Tampa Bay Rays’ game with the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday after a foul tip hit him in the face mask.

The game was in the second inning when Tampa Bay’s Nick Fortes swung at a 100-mph fastball from Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski and hit a ball that went backward and struck Bucknor.

Bucknor, 63, immediately turned around and went down on his knees as Brewers catcher William Contreras checked on him. After Brewers training staff came to the field and consulted with him, Bucknor left the field.

Chad Fairchild, who had been working as the first-base umpire, took over behind the plate after Bucknor’s departure as part of a transition to a three-man crew. The game was delayed for about 13 minutes.

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