Jeremie Rehak absolutely ate one during Monday’s World Baseball Classic semifinal.
The veteran MLB umpire Rehak was behind the plate for the WBC semifinal between Venezuela and Italy. In the bottom of the fifth inning at loanDepot Park in Miami, Fla., Rehak took a 98-mph fastball from Venezuela’s Luinder Avila straight to the mask.
It appeared that Venezuela catcher William Contreras got crossed up on the pitch, resulting in the errant baseball striking Rehak just about as dead-center in his mask as possible. Here is the video.
ouch pic.twitter.com/9JyuYlm3Bt
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 17, 2026
Take a look at the Ump Cam view of the heater from Avila striking Rehak.
Jeremie Rehak is staying in the game after getting hit by this pitch pic.twitter.com/WDwmYdstxw
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 17, 2026
Rehak needed a brief delay in order to get his wits back. But he remained in the game and finished out his duties as Venezuela earned a comeback 4-2 win over Italy to secure their place in the WBC final against the United States.
The 38-year-old Rehak has been an MLB umpire in 2018. Toronto Blue Jays fans might remember Rehak as the umpire who threw out both George Springer and manager John Schneider from a game a few years ago for arguing balls and strikes.
On Monday at the World Baseball Classic however, Rehak earned a lot of respect by taking the runaway fastball straight to the mask and toughing it out to complete the game. That was certainly a breath of fresh air after fellow umpire Cory Blaser had a nightmare moment during the other WBC semifinal game the night before.
