{{Short description|American baseball umpire (born 1990)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox baseball biography | number = 12 | name = Erich Bacchus | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|11|02|mf=yes}} | birth_place = Germantown, Maryland, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | image = File:Chasers20220412-80.jpg | width = 275px | caption = Bacchus (left) talks with Connor Overton during a 2022 International League game | team = MLB | position = Umpire | debutleague = MLB | debutdate = August 7 | debutyear = 2020 | umpirecrew = I | crewchief = #63 Laz Díaz | crew2 = #7 Brian O'Nora | crew3 = #96 Chris Segal | crew4 = #12 Erich Bacchus | highlights = Special Assignments *Wild Card Games/Series (2024, 2025) *All Star Game (2025) }}
'''Erich Bacchus''' (born November 2, 1990) is an American professional baseball umpire. He has been an umpire in Major League Baseball since 2020 and was promoted to the full-time umpiring staff in 2023.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=MLB Umpire Bios |url=https://www.mlb.com/official-information/umpires/bios |access-date=4 June 2023 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> Bacchus wears uniform number 12.<ref name="auto"/>
==Career== Bacchus graduated from the Wendelstedt Umpire School in 2012 and began his career in 2017, umpiring in the Arizona League, New York-Penn League, Florida Instructional League, South Atlantic League, Carolina League, Eastern League and International League. He also worked one season in the summer collegiate Coastal Plain League<ref>{{cite web |title=Four Former Coastal Plain League Umpires Make Their Major League Debut |url=https://coastalplain.com/four-former-coastal-plain-league-umpires-make-their-major-league-debut/ |access-date=9 February 2024 |publisher=Coastal Plain League}}</ref> as part of an umpire development agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB).<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=MLB Debut of Umpire Erich Bacchus |url=https://www.closecallsports.com/2020/08/mlb-debut-of-umpire-erich-bacchus.html |access-date=April 22, 2023 |publisher=Close Call Sports & Umpire Ejection Fantasy League}}</ref> During that time, he was chosen as an umpire for the 2017 All-Star Futures Game<ref>{{cite web |title=Umpires, official scorers & coaches announced for 2017 All-Star Game |url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/umpires-official-scorers-coaches-announced-for-2017-all-star-game-240776706 |access-date=1 December 2023 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> and the 2019 International League Championship Series.<ref>{{cite web |title=2019 Triple-A Postseason Rosters - PCL & IL |url=https://www.closecallsports.com/2019/09/2019-triple-postseason-rosters-pcl-il.html#google_vignette |access-date=16 December 2023 |publisher=Close Call Sports & Umpire Ejection Fantasy League}}</ref>
He made his MLB debut on August 7, 2020 as the second base umpire during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.<ref>{{cite web |title=MLB Debut of Umpire Erich Bacchus |url=https://www.closecallsports.com/2020/08/mlb-debut-of-umpire-erich-bacchus.html |access-date=1 December 2023 |publisher=Close Call Sports & Umpire Ejection Fantasy League}}</ref>
On September 21, 2023, Bacchus called a near-perfect game, missing just one call at home plate in the Los Angeles Dodgers-San Francisco Giants matchup.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=UmpScorecards |number=1705229169762709783 |title=Umpire: Erich Bacchus - Final: Giants 2, Dodgers 7}}</ref> Bacchus' game was compared to that of Pat Hoberg, who called a similarly perfect game in Game 2 of the 2022 World Series.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bengel |first1=Chris |date=October 31, 2022 |title=World Series 2022: Umpire Pat Hoberg called a 'perfect game' behind the plate in Game 2 |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/world-series-2022-umpire-pat-hoberg-called-a-perfect-game-behind-the-plate-in-game-2/ |access-date=23 September 2023 |website=CBS Sports}}</ref>
On May 16, 2024, Bacchus ejected Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco for using a foreign substance on his glove while pitching. According to the umpire, it was "the stickiest stuff I’ve felt on a glove".<ref>{{Cite web |last=McTaggart |first=Brian |date=May 15, 2024 |title=Blanco ejected due to sticky substance in glove |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ronel-blanco-ejected-from-start-due-to-issue-with-glove |access-date=2025-07-24 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> The next month, he was criticized for a call during a June 6 game between the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks, which saw Bacchus call Jake Cronenworth out on a third-strike call on a high pitch.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Capurso |first1=Tim |date=June 7, 2024 |title=Padres Announcer Destroys Ump Over Awful Call on Game-Ending Strikeout |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/padres-announcer-destroys-ump-over-awful-call-on-game-ending-strikeout |access-date=15 June 2024 |website=SI.com}}</ref> Bacchus was selected as an umpire for the 2025 All-Star Game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2025 All-Star Game Box Score, July 15 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/2025-allstar-game.shtml |access-date=2025-07-24 |website=Baseball Reference}}</ref>
Bacchus has been an instructor at the Wendelstedt Umpire School since 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Woronoff |first1=Brent |title=Play ball: Wendelstedt Umpire School safe at home in Ormond Beach |url=https://www.observerlocalnews.com/news/2023/jan/23/play-ball-wendelstedt-umpire-school-safe-at-home-in-ormond-beach/ |website=observerlocalnews.com |date=January 23, 2023 |publisher=Observer Media Group Inc. |access-date=19 May 2023}}</ref>
On July 23, 2025 Bacchus worked as the plate umpire in a game hosted by the New York Mets against the Los Angeles Angels. During a critical 8th-inning at-bat by Angel Luis Rengifo, Bacchus called Rengifo out on pitches fans and announcers felt were improperly called strikes. In fact, all 6 pitches in the at-bat were shown to be all balls; yet Bacchus called three of those non-strikes strikes, ending an Angels threat. Commentators questioned whether Bacchus had other motives. <<https://www.totalprosports.com/mlb/one-of-the-worst-umpired-at-bats-you-will-see-mets-angels-fans-react/?>
==Personal life== An avid runner, Bacchus competed in a half marathon on behalf of UMPS CARE Charities in Holly Springs, North Carolina.<ref name=":0"/>
Bacchus holds dual citizenship, as a citizen of both the United States and Switzerland.<ref name="auto"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B/Pbacce901.htm Retrosheet]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacchus, Erich}} Category:Living people Category:1990 births Category:Major League Baseball umpires Category:Sportspeople from Germantown, Maryland Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:Minor league baseball umpires