Umpires Nate Tomlinson and Dan Merzel to make postseason debuts in the Division Series

NEW YORK (AP) — Umpires Nate Tomlinson and Dan Merzel will make their postseason debuts in the Division Series, with Tomlinson working Seattle's matchup against Detroit and Merzel assigned to Philadelphia's meeting with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tomlinson, 35, worked his first big league game in 2020 and was hired as a fulltime member of the major league staff in June 2024. Merzel, 38, also made his big league debut in 2020 and was hired to the fulltime staff this year.

Both will work right field for Game 1s on Saturday, meaning they won't have a home plate assignment in the best-of-five series.

Lance Barksdale, Dan Bellino, Alan Porter and Mark Wegner will be crew chiefs, Major League Baseball said Friday. Wegner will be working his 11th Division Series, Bellino his ninth, Barksdale his eighth and Porter his seventh.

Bellino will work the New York Yankees-Toronto series, while Porter is assigned to Mariners-Tigers, Barksdale to Cubs-Brewers and Wegner to Phillies-Dodgers. The AL crew chiefs would work the plate in Game 5s and the NL crew chiefs in Game 4s.

Umpires rotate from right field to left and then clockwise around the bases starting at third.

The Yankees-Blue Jays series will start with Chris Segal behind the plate, Adam Hamari at first, Jordan Baker at second, Tony Randazzo at third, Bellino in left and Roberto Ortiz in right.

Seattle's series against Detroit will open with Alex Tosi behind the plate, Jeremie Rehak at first, John Tumpane at second, Chris Guccione at third, Porter in left and Tomlinson in right.

Milwaukee's series against Chicago will start with Edwin Moscoso working the plate, Mike Estabrook at first, Will Little at second, Barksdale at third, Chris Conroy in left and Ryan Blakney in right.

The Dodgers-Phillies series will begin with Nestor Ceja behind the plate, Adrian Johnson at first, Nic Lentz at second, Wegner at third, Jim Wolf in left and Merzel in right.

Ramon De Jesus, Andy Fletcher, Emil Jiménez and Brennan Miller will be the video review umpires at MLB’s office in New York.

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