One MLB Umpire Has Blown 25 Close Calls Already and Nobody's Talking About It

We are officially tracking MLB umpires like they're competing in a golf tournament, and the leaderboard is getting ugly fast. Welcome to the ABS Invitational, where ball and strike calls get rated week by week, and some guys behind the plate are having the kind of early stretch that would make you question your own eyesight.

Here's the deal: now that ABS (Automated Ball Strike) technology is available, we can actually measure who the best of the best umpires are. It's Thursday on the course, we're at the 12th tee, and there's a whole lot of summer left to play. And unlike a real golf tournament, there's no weekend cut. No escape hatch. You're stuck in this thing all season.

Andy Fletcher Is Having a Week We Need to Talk About

Look, Andy Fletcher has challenged 4 out of 25 times and not gotten overturned once. That's stunning in the worst way possible. If you're running an eyeglasses company, you're calling this guy up and offering him free specs for the rest of the season because something is not right. The bad news? We're at the beginning of a reliable sample size now. Twenty-five pitches close enough to be challenged is real data. This isn't a fluke anymore. There's gotta be some positive regression coming, but right now Fletcher is a name that needs to improve fast.

The Rest of the Leaderboard Is Shaking Out

CB Bucknor continues to fall even when he's not behind the plate. A seven-spot drop this week because new umpires are showing actual precision and clarity. Bucknor's in a hole and the only way out is to get back to work and change the narrative.

Austin Jones somehow moved up a few notches despite missing six close calls in just the past week. Stu Scheurwater took a brutal 45-spot tumble after eight missed calls. Nester Ceja dropped 35 spots with seven misses.

And then there's Erich Baccus at number one. This guy called another game this week with zero challenges added whatsoever. Out of 1,191 pitches, only one was overturned. That's 0.08% overturned rate. This dude might legitimately be the GOAT behind home plate.

The Mariners beat the Athletics 5-4 on the week, and the games keep coming. Keep an eye on this leaderboard as the summer unfolds and see which umps tighten up their zones and which ones keep squinting at the strike box.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.