Umpire Jim Wolf was caught on a hot mic Saturday offering some complaints about the environment at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill.
Wolf was working the plate during Saturday’s game between the Cubs and Washington Nationals in the bottom of the second inning and mistakenly thought Nationals catcher Drew Millas was challenging the previous ball call. That was not the case, and Wolf admitted he had misheard Millas, believing the catcher to have said “check that.”
“Damn crowd is too damn loud,” Wolf complained.
Here's the clip of umpire saying Damn crowd is too loud https://t.co/mqQJVsA1PA pic.twitter.com/qGNBie9ZLb
— Explaining the Cubs (@explaincubs) March 28, 2026
Wolf probably wasn’t actually mad at Cubs fans. The environment was simply challenging, although the fans can and will probably wear this as a badge of honor.
It has already become clear there are going to be more than a few of these moments this season due in part to the new challenge system and the umpires having to make related announcements about it. Umpires might have to censor themselves a bit more than they’re used to, but so far, the comments that have slipped through the cracks have been more funny than anything else.
