Major League Baseball today announced the umpires who have been assigned to the 2019 World Series, which is presented by YouTube TV. Gary Cederstrom, who is in his 26th season as a Major League Umpire, will work the Fall Classic for the fourth time, including his second assignment as its crew chief, as the American League Champion Houston Astros meet the National League Champion Washington Nationals.

Cederstrom, who was the crew chief for this Postseason’s American League Division Series between the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins, previously worked the Fall Classic in 2005, 2011 and 2015. The North Dakota native was the home plate umpire for Johan Santana’s 2012 no-hitter, the first in the history of the New York Mets. He will lead a crew that includes regular season crew chief Sam Holbrook, Lance Barksdale, Doug Eddings, James Hoye, Alan Porter and Jim Wolf. Porter will call balls and strikes in Game One of the Fall Classic in Houston. This is the third career Fall Classic for Holbrook; the second for Wolf; and the first for Barksdale, Eddings, Hoye and Porter. All seven umpires who will be on the field throughout the World Series were assigned to this year’s Division Series.

Wolf will serve as the Replay Official for Games One and Two of the World Series, after which he will join the on-field crew as the left field umpire for Game Three. Porter, the home plate umpire for Game One, will shift to Replay Official duties from Game Three through the conclusion of the World Series. The Replay Assistant throughout the Fall Classic will be regular season crew chief Jerry Meals, who worked one of this Postseason’s ALDS (HOU-TB). A complete listing of the rotation assigned to the 2019 World Series accompanies this press release.

Throughout the 2019 World Series, the umpires will wear a uniform patch in memory of 21-year Major League Umpire Eric Cooper, who passed away in recent days at the age of 52. “Coop,” who worked the 2014 World Series among his many career Postseason assignments, was active in programs with UMPS CARE Charities, the official philanthropy of MLB Umpires, including visits to pediatric hospitals and bringing underserved youth for behind-the-scenes ballpark visits.  

The 2019 Postseason schedule can be viewed at MLB.com/postseason. All games exclusively covered by FOX will be available to MLB.TV subscribers who are authenticated subscribers to the applicable network through a participating pay TV provider. ESPN Radio will provide live national coverage of all 2019 World Series games.