Yearly, MLB ought to make it a objective to have the very best umpires working the World Sequence. In spite of everything, these are the most important video games, and blown calls may affect who lifts the Commissioner’s Trophy.
However when MLB released its umpiring assignments for the World Sequence between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, one title was notably lacking: Pat Hoberg.
There’s a motive for that, although.
You could keep in mind that Hoberg made history last year with a perfect game in the World Series. He was the primary umpire to name a recreation completely since umpire monitoring began. And he adopted that up with a robust 2023. He was the second-best umpire in all of baseball this season, in line with Umpire Scorecards. And since 2020, he has been MLB’s most correct umpire. Merely put, he’s an umpire who ought to be working the World Sequence.
But, in line with MLB guidelines, umpires aren’t allowed to work the World Sequence in consecutive years.
For anybody questioning why Pat Hoberg just isn’t on the crew for this yr’s World Sequence…my understanding is that an umpire just isn’t eligible to work it in again to again years.
— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) October 26, 2023
That policy dates back to at least 2018, which prevents umpires from working the World Sequence consecutively. Although that coverage retains MLB’s greatest umpire away from MLB’s greatest video games in 2023, it explains why Hoberg gained’t be working any of the video games in Arizona and Texas.
