Jen Pawol broke one of baseball’s longest-standing barriers on Aug. 9 when she became the first woman to umpire a Major League Baseball regular-season game. She worked first base in Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves, moved to third base for the nightcap, and was scheduled to call balls and strikes behind the plate in the series finale the following day.
Pawol’s road to MLB began in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2016, as reported by MLB.com and ESPN. She reached Triple-A in 2023, worked the International League Championship Game, and became the first woman since 2007 to umpire a Spring Training game in 2024, according to CBS Sports. That same year, she was added to MLB’s umpire call-up list.
Her debut included a first-inning foreign substance check on Braves rookie Hurston Waldrep, which was noted in Yahoo Sports and The Athletic.
Pawol’s name drew loud applause during pregame introductions, a reaction rarely given to umpires. OutKick reported that fans held signs and cheered when she was announced, while MLB.com and The Athletic described players and coaches offering congratulations. Her cap from the debut will be sent to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Crew chief Chris Guccione called the day one of the proudest moments of his career in interviews with MLB.com and The Athletic.
Close Call Sports traced Pawol’s milestone to earlier trailblazers and legal battles. Bernice Gera, who became the first woman to umpire a minor league game in 1972, had to sue professional baseball to be allowed on the field. Pam Postema reached Triple-A in the 1980s but was never given an MLB regular-season assignment.
The site also noted that Angel Hernandez’s 2017 racial discrimination lawsuit against MLB helped spark changes in hiring and promotions, leading to the elevation of minority crew chiefs Alfonso Márquez, Laz Diaz, and Kerwin Danley.
Pawol’s debut followed similar breakthroughs in other sports. NPR reported that Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner became NBA referees in 1997, Sarah Thomas joined the NFL in 2015, and Stéphanie Frappart refereed a men’s World Cup match in 2022. The NHL has yet to have a female on-ice official for a regular-season or playoff game.
Pawol’s debut raises questions for international baseball. Have women officiated in WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cups or in Caribbean winter leagues such as LIDOM, LVBP, LBPRC, or LAMP? Have female umpires worked in professional leagues in Japan, South Korea, or Mexico? Could MLB’s precedent encourage more opportunities in postseason and international tournaments?
See Jen Pawol’s response on Instagram.
The Braves and Marlins’ participation added another layer to the story given Atlanta and Miami’s deep ties to Latin America and the Caribbean.
“I’m aware of the gravity and I’m aware of the magnitude,” Pawol said to MLB.com. “I believe that I’m going to be a very good steward and representative for young girls and women, and boys and men, that this is possible.”
