| Phil Cuzzi | |
|---|---|
 Cuzzi in 2013 | |
| MLB – No. 10 | |
| Umpire | |
| Born: (1955-08-29)August 29, 1955 (age 70) Newark, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 4, 1991 | |
| Crew information | |
| Umpiring crew | L |
| Crew members |
|
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Special Assignments | |
Philip Cuzzi (born August 29, 1955) is an American professional baseballumpire inMajor League Baseball (MLB). He worked as a reserve umpire in theNational League (NL) from 1991 to 1993 and returned to the NL in 1999. Since 2000, he has worked in both major leagues. Cuzzi wore number 99 when his career started; he now wears number 10. He entered the 2025 season as the oldest umpire in major league history.
Cuzzi appeared in theNew York–Penn League,Carolina League,South Atlantic League,Southern League,Triple-A Alliance,International League,American Association,Florida State League, andEastern League before his promotion to the major leagues.[1]
Cuzzi made his major league debut on June 4, 1991, umpiring at first base in an 11-inning game between theSt. Louis Cardinals andLos Angeles Dodgers.[2] From 1991 through 1993, Cuzzi umpired a total of 71 National League games.
Cuzzi's umpiring career temporarily came to a halt in 1993. He had advanced toClass AAA baseball and served as an MLB reserve umpire. However, although he had done well, by 1993 there were no full-time major league slots for him, and he was released. Cuzzi subsequently worked as a substitute teacher and bartender. While working at a hotel bar in 1996, he had a chance meeting with NL presidentLen Coleman, who allowed him to resume umpiring if he would work his way back up from the low minor leagues.[3]
In 1999, Cuzzi returned to the NL, working 49 games. He was promoted to the full-time major league staff in 2000.
Cuzzi has worked the Wild Card Game in2013 and theDivision Series in2003,2004,2009,2012,2015, and2016. He has umpired in the National League Championship Series in2005,2014 and2019. Cuzzi was also the plate umpire for Game 1 of the2017 World Series. He also worked the2008 All-Star Game atYankee Stadium and the2019 All-Star Game atProgressive Field in Cleveland. In Game 1 of the2015 National League Division Series between theChicago Cubs andSt. Louis Cardinals, Cuzzi's wide strike zone was criticized by some Cubs players and media for contributing to their 4–0 loss.[4][5]
Cuzzi has umpired in at least three MLBno-hitters. He was behind the plate forBud Smith's no-hitter on September 3, 2001,[1] and forCole Hamels' no-hitter on July 25, 2015.[6] He was the third base umpire whenSan Francisco Giants pitcherJonathan Sánchez no-hit theSan Diego Padres on July 10, 2009.[7]
Cuzzi was the plate umpire for a game between theBoston Red Sox andTampa Bay Rays on August 29, 2000.[8] During the game, eight members of the Rays were ejected (seven by Cuzzi), but no Boston players were thrown out, something that reportedly had never happened before.[9]
On April 16, 2009, Cuzzi was the first base umpire for the first game ever at thenew Yankee Stadium.[10]
In the top of the 11th inning of game 2 of the2009 ALDS between theMinnesota Twins and theNew York Yankees with no one out, Twins catcherJoe Mauer hit a ball that tipped off of left fielderMelky Cabrera's glove, landed fair, and bounced into the stands – Cuzzi called it a foul ball, denying Mauer of aground rule double.[11] This call proved to be costly as the Twins lost the game 4–3 on a walk-off home run in the bottom half of the inning.[12]
On August 17, 2019, Cuzzi was umpiring at first base when he ejected YankeesCC Sabathia andBrett Gardner. Prior to Gardner's ejection, Yankees managerAaron Boone was ejected by home-plate umpireBen May. After Boone returned to the dugout, Gardner was seen hitting the top of the Yankees dugout with his bat, an action that had gotten him ejected on August 9 byChris Segal.[13] In ejecting Gardner, Cuzzi demonstrated the action by Gardner which earned him his ejection, holding a phantom bat and jabbing it against a phantom dugout roof.[14]
On August 29, 2025, his seventieth birthday, Cuzzi became the first umpire in major league history to umpire at age seventy, being the home plate umpire in a game between theLos Angeles Dodgers andArizona Diamondbacks.[15]
Cuzzi lives inNutley, New Jersey with his wife, Gilda. He attendedBelleville High School, where he played baseball and football.[1]
