Ángel Hernández, controversial umpire scorned by players and fans, retires after 33-year career

Longtime umpire Ángel Hernández, who unsuccessfully sued Major League Baseball for racial discrimination, is retiring immediately.

During a career that spanned more than three decades, Hernández, 62, was frequently scorned by players, managers and fans for missed calls and quick ejections – some in high-profile situations.

Hernández released a statement through MLB on Monday night saying he has decided he wants to spend more time with his family.

“Starting with my first major league game in 1991, I had the great experience of living my childhood dream of umpiring in the major leagues. colleagues and the friendships I made along the way, including our locker room attendants in every city,” said Hernández.

“It goes without saying that there have been many positive changes in the game of baseball since I entered the profession. This includes the expansion and promotion of minorities. I am proud to have been an active participant in that goal while also being an umpire in the league main.”

Last summer, Hernández lost for the second time in his racial discrimination lawsuit against MLB when a federal appeals court refused to reinstate his case. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2021 District Court ruling that granted MLB summary judgment.

Hernández sued in 2017. He claimed he was discriminated against because he hadn’t been assigned to the World Series since 2005 and was passed over for crew chief. He served as interim chief of staff from 2011-16.

“Hernández failed to establish a statistically significant disparity between the promotion rates of white and minority arbitrators,” the 2nd Circuit said in an 11-page ruling. “MLB provided persuasive expert evidence demonstrating that, during the years in question, the difference in crew chief promotion rates between white and minority umpires was not statistically significant. Hernández offers no explanation as to why MLB’s statistical evidence did not are trustworthy.”

Hernández was sidelined with a back injury last season until July 31. This year he has been behind the plate eight times, including in 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 reached an agreement to leave MLB. USA Today reported that the sides spent the past two weeks negotiating a financial deal before reaching an agreement last weekend.

Born in Cuba, Hernández was hired as a major league referee in 1993. He has worked two World Series (2002, 2005), three All-Star Games (1999, 2009, 2017) and eight League Championship Series, with his last assignment in the LCS arriving. in 2016.

In Game 3 of the 2018 AL Division Series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, Hernández had three calls at first base overturned in video replay reviews.

As CBS Sports NotesHernández continued to draw criticism as recently as last month when Rangers broadcasters criticized him for harsh calls against rookie Wyatt Langford.

Other players like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber had notable disagreements with Hernández in the last years. After being sent off by Hernández last September, Harper said, “It’s just that every year it’s the same story, the same thing.”

Hernández’s lawyer defended him last month.

“Ángel is a very good umpire, and despite what the media says, baseball has recognized that as well,” said his lawyer, Kevin Murphy, told the Wall Street Journal as part of a profile in which Hernández did not participate.