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The debate over merit and institutional inclusion in professional sports officiating has arrived at a precise set of numbers this season.
Ball-and-strike data compiled by UmpScorecards places Jen Pawol, Major League Baseball's first female home plate umpire, 89th out of 91 qualified umpires in overall accuracy through 2026, reviving a controversy that began when she reached the majors in 2025.
What the data shows UmpScorecards measures every called ball and strike against MLB's Statcast strike zone, grading umpires on overall accuracy, consistency, and performance relative to the expected difficulty of pitches called.
By those metrics, Pawol carries a 91.8% overall accuracy rate and a 93.1% consistency rating, with an accuracy-above-expected mark of -1.6%. The league average for umpire consistency sits at 94%.
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