Veteran Major League Baseball umpire Ángel Hernández considers it a career.
Hernandez, who has long been one of the most controversial umpires in baseball history, will officially retire from the league this week, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today and ESPN’s Jeff Passan. MLB is expected to make the announcement official on Tuesday. Hernandez and the league have reportedly been negotiating the terms of his retirement for the past two weeks.
Hernandez last worked in the Chicago White Sox’s 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on May 9. The 62-year-old was replaced in his team by referee Jacob Metz.
Hernandez was first hired as a full-time umpire in the MLB in 1993. He quickly became one of the league’s worst-liked umpires, especially in recent years, for what many have seen as glaring missed calls on the field. .
against MLB after he also filed a racial discrimination lawsuit in 2017. Hernandez, who was born in Cuba, claimed he was passed over for a promotion to crew chief and was not chosen to work the World Series because of his race. Hernandez, who last worked a World Series game in 2005 and a League Championship Series in 2016.
While arguing the case, where he considers that Hernández failed at his job and missed calls on the field at key moments.
Hernandez missed all but 10 games last season due to a back injury. In those 10 games, according to the Referee Auditor, he missed an incredible 161 calls.
Ángel Hernández finished the regular season as the referee with the lowest rating (minimum 10 games).
He didn’t start until August due to a back injury, but he racked up 161 bad calls in 10 games, including the lowest-rated game.
Their season may be over, but may our memories live on. pic.twitter.com/or3hweE1yL
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) October 2, 2023
One of those games he worked in September actually got Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper ejected. Harper threw his helmet into the stands behind the dugout after . Harper charged Hernandez all the way to the third base line before he was finally pulled off the field.
“Angel in the middle of something again. It’s every year, the same story, the same thing,” Harper. “I’ll probably get fined again for being right.”
While Hernandez hasn’t been on the field much recently, for better or worse, his time in the league is officially over.