Every year, MLB should make it a goal to have the best umpires working the World Series. After all, these are the biggest games, and blown calls could impact who lifts the Commissioner’s Trophy.
But when MLB released its umpiring assignments for the World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, one name was notably missing: Pat Hoberg.
There’s a reason for that, though.
You may remember that Hoberg made history last year with a perfect game in the World Series. He was the first umpire to call a game perfectly since umpire tracking started. And he followed that up with a strong 2023. He was the second-best umpire in all of baseball this season, according to Umpire Scorecards. And since 2020, he has been MLB’s most accurate umpire. Simply put, he’s an umpire who should be working the World Series.
Yet, according to MLB rules, umpires are not allowed to work the World Series in consecutive years.
For anyone wondering why Pat Hoberg is not on the crew for this year’s World Series…my understanding is that an umpire is not eligible to work it in back to back years.
— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) October 26, 2023
That policy dates back to at least 2018, which prevents umpires from working the World Series consecutively.
Though that policy keeps MLB’s best umpire away from MLB’s biggest games in 2023, it explains why Hoberg won’t be working any of the games in Arizona and Texas.
