MLB umpire Ángel Hernández retires: ends 30+ year career amid controversy

by telcotelco · May 28, 2024

Veteran Major League Baseball umpire Ángel Hernández has announced his immediate retirement after a career spanning over three decades. The 62-year-old official, who filed a lawsuit against MLB for racial discrimination, faced criticism throughout his tenure for missed calls and quick ejections, often in high-profile games.

In a statement released through MLB on Monday night, Hernández cited his desire to spend more time with his family as the reason for his retirement. He reflected on his journey since debuting in 1991, expressing gratitude for living out his childhood dream and cherishing the camaraderie with colleagues and friendships formed over the years.

Hernández’s lawsuit, filed in 2017, alleged racial discrimination based on his non-assignment to the World Series since 2005 and being passed over for crew chief positions. However, his legal efforts were unsuccessful, with a federal appeals court upholding MLB’s summary judgment in 2021, citing the lack of statistically significant disparity in promotion rates between white and minority umpires.

Throughout his career, Hernández officiated two World Series (2002, 2005), three All-Star Games (1999, 2009, 2017), and eight League Championship Series, with his final LCS assignment in 2016. Notably, he faced scrutiny during Game 3 of the 2018 AL Division Series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, where three of his calls at first base were overturned on video replay reviews.

Hernández’s retirement comes after a back injury sidelined him for part of last season, with his final game behind the plate occurring on May 9, 2024, between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox. Reports from USA Today and ESPN suggest that Hernández reached a financial settlement with MLB, leading to his departure from the league.

Born in Cuba, Hernández was hired as a big league umpire in 1993, leaving behind a legacy marked by both accomplishments and controversies within the realm of professional baseball officiating.