Monday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies featured one of the strangest umpire situations in recent memory, as home plate umpire Brian O’Nora disappeared while the game was going on.
The strange moment occurred in the top of the third inning after Christopher Morel flied out to right field to start the inning.
As Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner stepped into the batter’s box for his at-bat, O’Nora walked over to and went into the Rockies dugout.
Home plate umpire tonight had a date with destiny on the john (CC: @BarstoolBigCat ) pic.twitter.com/RjHDVQRuuH
— Warlord Dinucci (@needabev) September 12, 2023
Things got even weirder, as this caused a lengthy delay in the game as everyone waited for him to return. A replacement would ultimately come out to replace him after a 14-minute delay.
Everything went back to normal once the new umpire came into the game. But fans were speculating about exactly what was wrong with O’Nora.
Umpire still pooping while game resumes #cubs #Rockies pic.twitter.com/oc3CSD0GKP
— Kevin Mulcrone (@KayBeSee) September 12, 2023
Hoping the umpire in the #cubs #rockies game is alright, very weird situation
— Illini Warp (@IlliniWrapUp) September 12, 2023
Ok look, if you’ve ever had to take a dump in the middle of a Zoom call, you’re not allowed to laugh at the umpire in the Cubs-Rockies game running off the field mid-inning
— Matt Lindner (@mattlindner) September 12, 2023
I'm not sure what happened but the Umpire in the #Cubs #Rockies game had to unexpectedly leave the field and now the game is in a delay. I hope he's ok. pic.twitter.com/pEo7oV5Dx2
— William Johnson (@Blaydez_Cardz) September 12, 2023
Did the cubs rockies umpire just get sick
— Isaiah Walker (@walkeri141) September 12, 2023
It’s hard to remember the last time that something like this has happened where an umpire just up and leaves a game without any clear reasoning. We have seen umpires get hit with a ball or a bat and have to be taken off the field, but this is an entirely different situation.
Maybe it was just as simple as O’Nora needing to use the bathroom immediately. But hopefully whatever was ailing him at the time has passed and he is okay.
