Utah Knobblers

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## Ballpark

- The Knobblehouse (2024-present)

The **Utah Knobblers** are an American professional baseball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Knobblers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the American League (AL) West Division. The club plays its home games at The Knobblehouse, which is located on the east side of Salt Lake City. The franchise was established on November 10th, 2023 as part of Major League Baseball's 2023 Expansion, that also saw the reintroduction of a Major League team to Montreal, Quebec, the Montreal Nexpos.

The Knobblers' namesake and mascot is The Knobbler, a creature of mythical proportions said to have protected the city during the 1999 Salt Lake City tornado.

The Knobblers are owned by Nathaniel Forst, a Utah business tycoon known locally as "Mr. Utah".

## History

### Prior to 2023 Expansion

Immediately following the completion of the 2023 World Series, then commissioner Rob Manfred tripped and fell, violently diarrheaing all over himself and Texas Rangers owner Ray Davis during the handoff of the Commissioner's Trophy. This event sent shockwaves through baseball and an immediate vote was held by the ownership groups of MLB to remove Manfred for his embarrassment.

On November 9th, 2023, The Knobbler (already appearing before the United States Supreme Court for an unrelated case, *Relentless, Inc. v Department of Commerce*) declared before the Courts and God that a man by the name of Charner Niebart would be the new interim commissioner.

On November 10th, Niebart announced the 2023 expansion franchises: The Montreal Nexpos, who would be run by a collective ownership group controlled by the City of Montreal, and The Utah Knobblers to be run by Mr. Niebart after they abdicated their commissioner duties on November 11th. The next commissioner was selected on November 22nd and is an amorphous blob of slime named Wed Tilliams.

### 2023 Expansion Draft

The 2023 Expansion Draft was held on December 8th 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland. The first pick by the Utah Knobblers was Minnesota Twins outfielder Matt Wallner, and the Nexpos subsequently chose Tanner Houck, a starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox.

## Ballpark

### The Knobblehouse

The Knobblers play their home games at The Knobblehouse, also known as *"The Knobblest Place on Earth"*. It was built in 2023 in record time, once the expansion team was announced. The ballpark is known for the extensive cave system known as the Knobbler's Den, a skatepark above the visitors' dugout, and three marble statues of famous Utah icons Bruce Hurst, Donny Osmond, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who isn't from Utah, but once remarked, "Utah should have a ball team") that overlook the right field bleachers.

## Seasons

### 2024 Utah Knobblers Season

The 2024 season was notable for being the 1st season in Utah Knobblers history. Before the season could start, the team was embroiled in controversy surrounding the 2023 Yankees Tampering Scandal. They would eventually make a splash by signing marquee free agent Shohei Ohtani to a 10 year/$508 million deal.

In the first game of the season, the Knobblers faced the Boston Red Sox at The Knobblehouse. Ohtani pitched five innings for the win in a 4-2 game over the Red Sox. Roberto Perez hit the first home run of Knobbler history in the 5th inning, a solo shot. 1st Round Expansion Pick Wallner would hit his own solo home run later in the inning.