Nearly two months after getting struck in the face mask by a foul ball, umpire CB Bucknor remains sidelined for health reasons, and not because of any disciplinary action from Major League Baseball.“He isn’t being benched,” a person briefed on Bucknor’s situation said. “That’s not a real thing.”A second person familiar with Bucknor’s absence confirmed the umpire’s time away “certainly is not disciplinary in nature.”Bucknor, during a recent appearance as a spectator at Citi Field, said he was still dealing with the effects of the 100.2-mph pitch from Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski that Tampa Bay’s Nick Fortes fouled off his mask on April 1.He spent one week working in the replay room in New York after his injury and also has undergone physical therapy, but has yet to get back on the field.Bucknor, 63, became the face of Major League Baseball’s new Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) when, on the second day of the season, he had six calls overturned, including back-to-back called third strikes on the Cincinnati Reds’ Eugenio Suarez.Three days later, Bucknor again was in the spotlight after mistakenly ruling that the Brewers’ Jake Bauers did not touch first base while running out a liner that went off the glove of Rays second baseman Ben Williamson, who threw wildly to the bag.Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda then tagged out Bauers, who had not moved toward second. Replays, however, indicated Bauers had clearly touched first. The call was overturned upon review, prompting chuckles from both Rays manager Kevin Cash and Brewers manager Pat Murphy.The very next day, Bucknor was struck by Fortes’ foul ball in the second inning. The umpire fell to his hands and knees on the dirt. Athletic trainers attended to him, and he then left the field by walking up the ramp to the umpires’ room.He has not appeared in a game since.May 28, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms