Controversial MLB umpire Ángel Hernández retires after three decades
Longtime MLB referee Ángel Hernández, who was often criticized for his calls, is retiring immediately.
During a career that spanned more than three decades, the 62-year-old Hernández was often scorned by players, managers and fans for missed calls and quick takedowns — some in high-profile situations.
Hernández released a statement through MLB on Monday evening saying he has decided he wants to spend more time with his family.
“From my first Major League game in 1991, I have had the very good experience of realizing my childhood dream of being an umpire in the Major Leagues. Nothing is better than working in a profession that you enjoy. I cherished the camaraderie of my colleagues and the friendships I made along the way, including our locker room attendants in all the different cities,” Hernández said.
“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 advancement of minorities. I am proud that as a Major League referee I have been able to be an active participant in that goal.”
Last summer, Hernández lost for the second time in his racial discrimination lawsuit against MLB when a federal appeals court declined to hear his case again. The court upheld a 2021 decision granting MLB summary judgment.
Hernández sued in 2017. He claimed he was discriminated against because he had not been assigned to the World Series since 2005 and had been passed over as crew chief. From 2011 to 2016 he was interim crew chief.
“Hernández has failed to establish a statistically significant difference between the promotion rates of white and minority referees,” the court said in an 11-page decision. “MLB has provided compelling expert evidence showing that during the years in question, the difference in crew chief promotion rates between white and minority referees was not statistically significant. Hernández offers no explanation as to why MLB’s statistical evidence is unreliable.”
Hernández was sidelined last season until July 31 due to a back injury. This year, he was behind the plate eight times, including for his final game on May 9 between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox.
USA Today and ESPN, each citing an anonymous source, reported that Hernández had reached a settlement to leave MLB. USA Today reported that the parties spent the past two weeks negotiating a financial settlement before reaching an agreement last weekend.
Born in Cuba, Hernández was hired as a big league umpire in 1993. He worked two World Series (2002, 2005), three All-Star Games (1999, 2009, 2017) and eight League Championship Series, with his final LCS assignment coming up. in 2016.
Hernández’s most infamous moment came in Game 3 of the 2018 AL Division Series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, when three calls at first base were overturned based on video replay reviews. This season he was heavily criticized after calling three strikes which were significantly off the plate during a at-bat by Wyatt Langford of the Texas Rangers.
Despite antipathy among fans, coaches and players, Hernández was popular among his fellow referees and they often supported him as online attacks on officials became more common with the rise of social media.
Calling balls and shots could soon be outsourced so-called robot refereesalthough such a move won’t happen in the major leagues until at least the 2026 season.