Jen Pawol is set to make history by becoming the first woman to umpire a Major League Baseball regular-season game. The milestone event will occur during the upcoming weekend series between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. On Saturday, Pawol will officiate on the bases for both games of a doubleheader, including a makeup game that was originally scheduled for April 6 but was postponed. She will then serve as the home plate umpire during Sunday’s finale.

At 48 years old, Pawol has been a minor league umpire since 2016 and has experience working MLB spring training games in 2024 and 2025. She is currently one of 17 Triple-A call-up umpires eligible to fill in for major league games. This assignment as part of a five-person umpire team, necessitated by the Saturday doubleheader, marks a significant step for gender representation in professional baseball officiating.

Pawol's promotion follows milestones in other sports: Violet Palmer became the NBA’s first female referee in 1997, Sarah Thomas broke into the NFL in 2015, and Stéphanie Frappart and Rebecca Walsh refereed men’s World Cup and Premier League matches, respectively. Pawol’s journey began with a background in competitive softball and soccer, moving on to officiate NCAA softball before attending an MLB umpire tryout in 2015. She was hired in 2016 and has progressed steadily through the ranks.

With 76 full-time MLB umpires and temporary openings due to injuries and vacations, Pawol’s appointment marks a significant step forward for gender representation in professional baseball officiating.

As Pawol steps onto the field this weekend, her presence serves as a beacon of progress, inspiring future generations of women to pursue careers in baseball officiating and beyond.