For the first time in history, a woman will umpire a regular-season MLB game.
MLB said on Wednesday that Jen Pawol will work as an umpire during Saturday’s doubleheader between the Marlins and Braves. She will then call balls and strikes behind the plate for Sunday’s game between the two teams.
Pawol was previously called up to the MLB level to officiate spring training games in 2024 and was selected among 21 minor league umpires to work spring training games in 2025.
She umpired her first professional game in 2016 when she was assigned to the Gulf Coast Rookie League. Like many players who ascend to the big leagues, Pawol climbed the ranks of the minor leagues before receiving her MLB call-up this week.
“I can control my hustle, my calls, and my professionalism. But gender and race are things no one can control,” she said on Minor League Baseball’s official website in 2016. “I can understand why people are talking about it and asking those questions because of the rarity of women being involved. I’m just hoping it might inspire more girls and women to get involved. It’s so much fun, and the men I’ve met in both Major and Minor League Baseball have been so wonderful and friendly.”
Pawol was just the seventh female to ever call a minor league game. At the time of her hiring in 2016, there had not been a female umpire in minor league baseball since 2007.
Among the top five major men’s team sports leagues in the United States, three have had female officials. The NBA first hired Dee Kantner and Violet Palmer in 1997. There are now nine active female referees in the NBA, according to the union. In 2015, Sarah Thomas became the NFL’s first female referee, and in 2020, Tori Penso became MLS’ first full-time female referee.
The NHL has yet to have a female referee work a regular-season game.
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