MLB is investigating umpire C.B. Bucknor after St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol alleged that he refused to shake his hand ahead of a spring training game.
The 2023 MLB season is about a month away, and all 30 teams are taking part in spring training. Exhibition games have just begun, with players looking to earn their spot on their respective team’s Opening Day roster. On the first weekend, there is already a stewing rivalry between a manager and umpire.
On Saturday, the St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol accused umpire C.B. Bucknor of refusing to shake his hand during the lineup exchange at home plate ahead of the team’s game against the Washington Nationals. Marmol also said that Bucknor isn’t “good at his job.” Marmol then said that the other umpires in the game, who were Angel Hernandez, Ron Kulpa, and Carlos Torres apologized for Bucknor’s refusal of the handshake.
“I went to go shake C.B.’s hand,” Marmol said after the game, h/t The Athletic (subscription required). “He didn’t extend his. I went into that game pretty certain about my thoughts on him as an umpire. They weren’t very good. It just shows his lack of class as a man. That’s the bottom line.”
Now, one day later, MLB is reviewing Marmol’s allegations against Bucknor.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol accuses umpire C.B. Bucknor of refusing to shake his hand
Marmol and Bucknor, well, have a history with one another.
During a game between the Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 21, 2022, Bucknor made a questionable strike call on third baseman Nolan Arenado on a pitch that was on the outside of the batter’s box. Marmol was incensed by the call and voiced his displeasure. Bucknor immediately ejected him, which caused Marmol to go onto the field to confront the home plate umpire. Let’s just say, the two got into a heated exchange of words, as evidenced by the amount of swear words were used by both.
Bucknor is one of the more controversial umpires in terms of his game-calling abilities. Last season, he had a 92.0 accuracy percentage and an average consistency percentage of 92.1, both of which are ranked the fifth-worst among all umpires, per UmpScoreCards.com. In terms of accuracy above expected, which is the difference between actual accuracy and expected accuracy, Bucknor has the second-worst rating at -1.66 percent.
The fallout from this situation will be worth following, especially if Bucknor is on the umpiring crew for a Cardinals game this season.