Legendary Bad Umpire CB Bucknor Embarrassed By ABS Challenge System In Brutal Showing

We knew that the advent of the automated ball and strike system in Major League Baseball would lead to significant changes in how at-bats and games played out. But we may not have considered just how bad it would make a number of umpires look.

Pitchers, catchers, and batters can now challenge calls immediately after they're made, allowing the most egregious mistakes to be corrected. And already, in just the first weekend of the 2026 regular season, we've seen how many calls will be overturned when specific umpires are behind the plate. 

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez on Friday night attempted to teach home plate umpire Doug Eddings where the bottom of the strike zone is, repeatedly forcing Eddings to announce his calls had been overturned.

RELATED: Royals Catcher Humiliates Ump Over Repeated Missed Calls, But Who's To Blame?

But Eddings might take a back seat to one of the most prolific umpires when it comes to having their calls overturned. On Saturday, CB Bucknor turned in an absolutely epic performance in the game between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds. 

Home plate umpire CB Bucknor. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

CB Bucknor Gets Embarrassed By ABS System 

One of the most incredible examples of Bucknor's typically awful strike zone came in the top of the third inning, with the Reds leading the Red Sox 3-0. On a 2-1 count, Reds starter Brady Singer threw an 81 mph sweeper that was clearly low. Bucknor called it a strike, leading to an immediate challenge from hitter Roman Anthony. Sure enough, it was overturned by an incredible 2.7 inches.

Instead of 2-2, the count went to 3-1. That's the value of ABS in a nutshell, though Anthony did eventually strike out on a borderline strike.

Later on, in the bottom of the sixth with the score 5-3, Reds slugger Eugenio Suarez came up with the bases loaded against Red Sox reliever Ryan Watson. Big situation, chance to blow the game open, one of baseball's biggest power hitters at the plate, 1-2 count, and Bucknor completely whiffed on two consecutive calls. Twice, he emphatically punched Suarez out, only to see challenges overturn his calls and fill up the count.

Suarez wound up grounding out, but at least he had an opportunity to hit without the bat being taken out of his hands by bad calls. All told, Bucknor had six calls overturned before the end of the seventh inning. Three of the overturned calls were pitches he missed by over two inches. 

In a way, this game was an ironic representation of modern baseball. MLB has made a concerted effort to speed up games and increase the pace of play. The pitch clock has been a huge success, dropping average game times from over three hours to around two hours and 38-40 minutes. But because the umpires union has steadfastly protected below-average umps like Bucknor, games are going to be minutes longer under the ABS system, with so many calls being challenged and overturned.

Just imagine how much worse it would be if Angel Hernandez was still around.