MLB Umpire Leaves Game After Enduring Unluckiest Inning Ever

Alfonso Marquez already made history when in 1999, when he became the first Mexican-born umpire to reach MLB.

Unofficially, Marquez made history on May 18 by enduring the unluckiest inning ever.

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Marquez, the home plate umpire for the series opener between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves at loanDepot Park, was struck in the face mask twice by foul balls in the second inning.

Both foul balls appeared to injure Marquez in the jaw based on his reaction to each blow. The second - a shot to the forehead on a point-blank foul ball by Mauricio Dúbon, forced Marquez to leave the game.

After a brief delay, Marquez left the game, leaving crewmates Mike Estabrook, Jonathan Parra and Lance Barrett to finish out the game on their own.

Estabrook, the first base umpire, took over behind home plate.

Marquez, 54, is also the first crew chief born in Latin America in the history of MLB. Since joining the major league staff in 1999, he’s worked five World Series (2006, 2011, 2015, 2021, 2023) and two All-Star Games (2006, 2018).

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A member of the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame since 2001, Marquez was working his ninth home plate assignment of the 2026 season in Miami.

Umpire injuries came under an intense spotlight last month in Japan. A home plate umpire, Takuto Kawakami, was knocked out when a bat slipped out of the batter’s hand and struck him on the side of the head.

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Kawakami was yet to regain consciousness by the end of last month, according to reports out of Japan.

Fortunately, Marquez was not struck on the side of the head, but rather on the front. His mask did its job.

Even still, the fact that he was forced to leave the game served as a lesson in just how quickly balls travel - and how the force of their impact has the potential to cause injuries.

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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 8:13 PM.