Max Scherzer seen mocking umpire C.B. Bucknor in the Blue Jays vs Guardians match

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 3, 2025, 17:00 IST

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Max Scherzer, the Blue Jays pitcher, was seen mocking umpire C.B. Bucknor during a game. He imitated Bucknor's calls, suggesting difficulty in seeing the ball. Fans supported Scherzer, pointing out umpiring errors this season. Many fans are frustrated with wrong calls. Umpire Auditor reported Lance Barrett missed 25 calls in a recent game. MLB might take action on these errors.

Max Scherzer seen mocking umpire CB Bucknor in the Blue Jays vs Guardians match (Image Source: Getty)

A game of baseball without some controversies and hilarious moments is no fun, and Max Scherzer made sure of it. In the last game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Guardians, Max was seen mocking home plate umpire. Why was he mocking him? What were the fan reactions? Is it okay for a player to be mocking an umpire from the sidelines? Let's dig deep.

Max Scherzer mocking umpire C.B. Bucknor

Chris Bassitt was on the ground, pitching to the Cleveland Guardians when the camera turned towards the Blue Jays dugout area. There, standing by the lines, chewing gum, was Max Scherzer, the right-hand pitcher of the Blue Jays, mocking the umpire.
Max was seen imitating Bucknor by flipping an imaginary coin into the air and then making the call based on how the coin landed. It was a clear mockery of the 62-year old umpire C.B. Bucknor, indicating that he's having trouble seeing the ball for which he has to make calls through this.

In fact, several fans supported his jab at the umpire. One fan went on to say,
“Max Scherzer is knowledgeable about the game.”

Another user supported Scherzer by saying,
“And that's why I've always said, Max Scherzer = Ball knower”

It seems umpires have made millions of mistakes in taking calls this season, which has led the fans to turn against them.

Umpires making wrong calls this season

It is well known that umpires do make wrong calls, but it doesn't happen often. However, the 2025 season is different as umpires are seen taking multiple wrong calls, leading to loss of matches and fan frustration. One fan even went on to say,
“CB and Bacon are the worst. And they work on the same crew!!!!"

Apart from Bucknor, there are several other umpires who are making multiple errors on the field. Recently Umpire Auditor, an umpire analysis account, posted how Lance Barrett missed a total of 25 calls, the highest this season, during the Mets vs Nationals game.

Should MLB take strict actions on umpires taking wrong and missed calls? It seems unlikely but one can only hope.
Also Read: Daulton Varsho of Toronto Blue Jays stuns with gravity-defying catch in center field

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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