Kulpa's professional umpiring career began in 1992 and he advanced to the Pacific Coast League in 1998. Kulpa was one of the 22 umpires promoted in the wake of the Major League Umpires Association's mass-resignation strategy in July, and was named to the National League staff for the remainder of the 1999 season. When the umpiring staffs from the two leagues merged for the season, Kulpa began working in both leagues. He has worked several MLB Special Events, including the All-Star Game, Division Series, League Championship Series, and World Series. He also officiated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Controversies
Kulpa was head-butted by Carl Everett of the Boston Red Sox in 2000 during an argument about the location of the inner boundary of the batter's box. Everett was suspended for 10 games and fined. Working first base in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series, Kulpa controversially called St. Louis Cardinals hitter Matt Holliday safe after Holliday grounded into what would have been the second out of a routine double play in the game's fourth inning. Kulpa claimed that Holliday had arrived at first base prior to the tag from Texas Rangersfirst basemanMike Napoli, although replays subsequently proved that Napoli had indeed tagged him out by a full stride, prior to Holliday's stumbling across the base and falling. Kulpa later told a pool reporter after the game that he was aware Napoli had tagged Holliday, but he thought Holliday's foot was already on the base. He did not ask for a second opinion. When the game ended, Kulpa reviewed the play on tape and admitted he should have called Holliday out. The Cardinals went on to win the game 16-7, and eventually won the Series in seven games. On August 12, 2013, he ejected Rangers catcher A.J. Pierzynski for arguing a ball three call during pitcher Yu Darvish's bid for a perfect game against the Houston Astros. The perfect game was broken up moments later on an ensuing ball four pitch to Astros batter Jonathan Villar. During the 9th inning of a Red Sox-Yankees game on May 6, 2016, the Red Sox had the bases loaded when Kulpa ruled Andrew Miller's 3-2 breaking ball to David Ortiz a strike. According to ESPN, the pitch was low and outside of the strike zone by 5 ½ inches. Had the pitch been ruled a ball, Ortiz would have walked in the game-tying run. On the immediately preceding pitch, Ortiz had expressed displeasure with Kulpa's 3-1 strike call, a correct ruling on a pitch located within the strike zone, but caught oddly by catcher Brian McCann; Manager John Farrell was ejected in Ortiz's stead following the 3-1 pitch, while Ortiz was ejected following the 3-2 pitch.
