Hirschbeck Returns, Gibson Changes Official Name to 'Tripp'

Umpire John Hirschbeck returned to baseball during Spring Training action in Florida's Grapefruit League after nearly one year each on umpiring's extended bereavement list.

Hirschbeck, whose second son Michael passed away in early April 2014, made his 2015 comeback during Wednesday's Phillies-Yankees game. Hirschbeck, whose last MLB contest worked was April 6, 2014, served as a field umpire, starting the game at first base, alongside Tim Welke, Sean Barber and home plate umpire Adam Hamari. Hirschbeck had made appearances at the New York Replay Operations Center in September 2014.

Hal 'Tripp' Gibson, whom MLB hired full-time this January, officially changed his name as appears in the box score from "Hal Gibson III" to "Tripp Gibson III." Gibson's first Spring Training game as a freshly minted MLBU was Wednesday's White Sox-Dodgers game at Camelback Ranch.

Co-hires Will Little (TOR-PIT) and Mark Ripperger (ARI-COL) have kept their pre-promotion names.