History’s got a new chapter in the MLB book, and it just got a little louder this weekend at Truist Park.
Pawol to Make Her Regular MLB Debut Behind the Plate
Major League Baseball has officially called up Jen Pawol, making her the first female umpire in MLB history to work a regular-season game. Let that sink in — first, no one has done it before. She’ll be calling the bases for the Marlins-Braves doubleheader on Saturday, and then she’ll be behind the plate on Sunday. That’s not a warm-up act — that’s the real deal.
This isn’t a case of someone parachuting in at the last minute to break a record. Pawol’s been grinding it out since 2016 in the minor leagues after getting her shot at MLB’s umpire training academy. But let’s rewind for a second. Before that, she was an NCAA softball umpire, played college softball at Hofstra, was on the USA Baseball Women’s National Team, and even juggled grad school and teacher certification classes — and somewhere along the way, she looks at an umpire on the field and says, “That’s it. I gotta go for that.”
A Trail Marked by Grit, Softball, and Second Chances
Pawol wasn’t just a one-sport wonder. She was an all-state softball and soccer player at West Milford High School, earned a scholarship to Hofstra, and was a three-time all-conference pick. But when playing lost its edge, she found something else: purpose behind the plate. She started umpiring amateur games and continued to refine her craft until it led her straight to the minors. For nearly a decade, she worked quietly, professionally, waiting for this moment.
You know, we’ve seen barriers fall in other sports: the NBA? 1997. NFL? 2015. Soccer World Cup? 2022. And yet, MLB took its time — 2024 just to get a woman into a spring training game, and now, finally, the majors.
Dodgers Skipper Applauds MLB’s Push for Inclusivity
Pawol’s path wasn’t paved — it was carved. Year after year, pitch after pitch, and now, she’s got a front-row seat to America’s pastime with a mask on and a rulebook in her back pocket.
And sure, people will say it’s about time — but let’s not just check a box here. Pawol’s not on the field to be a headline. She’s there because she earned it. Because she’s good. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said it plain: “Baseball’s done a great job of being completely inclusive.” And while we could debate how fast or slow that progress has been, today, we cheer.
