MLB Fans Exhale As Most-Hated Ump Angel Hernandez Officially Retires
Going … going … gone. MLB’s most disliked official has called his final game.
Longtime umpire Angel Hernandez, criticized by fans for his shocking inaccuracy behind home plate, is retiring after agreeing to a contract buyout with the league. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale announced the news Monday, giving fans a reason to exhale.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 28: MLB umpire Angel Hernandez #55 stands on the field before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics at AT&T Park on June 28, 2016 in San Francisco, California. The Oakland Athletics defeated the San Francisco Giants 13-11. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
"MLB and Hernández had spent the past two weeks negotiating a financial settlement before reaching a resolution over the weekend," Nightengale wrote.
ESPN's Jeff Passan relayed a statement from Hernandez late Monday:
"Starting with my first Major League game in 1991, I have had the very good experience of living out my childhood dream of umpiring in the major leagues.
"There is nothing better than working at a profession that you enjoy. I treasured the camaraderie of my colleagues and the friendships I have made along the way, including our locker room attendants in all the various cities.
"I have decided that I want to spend more time with my family.
"Needless to say, there have been many positive changes in the game of baseball since I first entered the profession. This includes the expansion and promotion of minorities. I am proud that I was able to be an active participant in that goal while being a Major League umpire."
The 62-year-old’s final game came on May 9, a 3-2 Chicago White Sox win over the Cleveland Guardians. He caught major criticism in April for three egregious strike calls in a bases-loaded situation for the Texas Rangers. As OutKick’s Mike Gunzelman previously wrote, Hernandez once missed 23 calls in a single game between the Yankees and Orioles. The baseball consensus names Hernandez as MLB's ‘worst’ official.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 06: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez works a game between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium on August 06, 2023 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Astros defeated the Yankees 9-7. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Hernandez missed a significant chunk of the 2023 season, officiating just 10 games due to a back injury. He has officiated MLB games since 1993. In his three decades as ump, Hernandez has been responsible for some of the most heinous missed calls caught on video, single-handedly fueling the argument for MLB to incorporate robo-umpiring to patch accuracy issues.
RELATED: Angel Hernandez Season Of Disaster: A Recap Of MLB Umpire's Worst Calls
Angel Hernandez sued MLB for discrimination, claiming he hadn’t received ample opportunities to officiate World Series games because of his race. That lawsuit was tossed last September, previously reported on OutKick.
Baseball fans celebrated on Monday upon hearing of Hernandez’s retirement. They eulogized Hernandez’s career with some of his worst moments.
Happy Trails!
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