Revealing the Umpiring Crew for the 2024 World Series

Major League Baseball has announced the umpire setup for the 2024 World Series, with Mark Carlson taking the helm as the crew chief. Joining him will be Andy Fletcher, Mark Ripperger, and Carlos Torres, all set to make their inaugural appearances in the Fall Classic.

The Umpire Debutants for the World Series Opener

Carlos Torres, a 46-year-old veteran who launched his big league career in 2015, has been chosen to oversee the plate for the opening match. The inaugural game will see the Los Angeles Dodgers squaring off against the New York Yankees at the iconic Dodger Stadium.

Mark Carlson’s World Series Hat Trick

Mark Carlson, a seasoned umpire, debuted in the major league in 1999 and will be returning to the World Series for the third time. His previous stints were in 2015 and 2020. In the opening match on Friday night, Carlson will be stationed at the first base.

The Experienced Crew for Game 1

Carlson will be joined by Doug Eddings at second base, Mark Ripperger at third, Chad Fairchild in left field, and Todd Tichenor in right field for the first game. Andy Fletcher will serve as the reserve umpire for this game.

Returning Umpires for the World Series

This will mark Eddings’ second World Series, having presided over the Fall Classic in 2019. Similarly, Fairchild returns after his stint in the 2018 World Series and Tichenor, who was part of the 2020 series.

Umpiring Career and Performance

In terms of their big league careers, Eddings made his debut in 1998, Fairchild in 2004, and Tichenor in 2007. Fletcher, who debuted in 1999, will call balls and strikes for Game 2, followed by Carlson, Eddings, Ripperger, Fairchild, and Tichenor in Game 7.

The Umpiring Lineup for Game 2

In the second match, Tichenor will take over as the crew chief, with Carlson serving as a reserve. Ripperger, who started his career in 2010, displayed a striking 94.8% accuracy rate behind the plate during the season, according to UmpScorecards.com. The accuracy rates of the other umpires were also impressive, with Tichenor at 94.4%, Torres at 94.2%, Fairchild at 93.8%, Carlson at 93.6%, Eddings at 93.4%, and Fletcher at 93.1%.

Video Review Umpires

Cory Blaser and James Hoye have been assigned the crucial roles of video review umpires, stationed at the replay operations center at the commissioner’s office in New York. Each of the nine umpires has had their share of experience in the Division Series.