Angel Hernandez, a longtime umpire who unsuccessfully sued Major League Baseball for racial discrimination, has announced his immediate retirement after a career spanning more than three decades.
Throughout his career, the 62-year-old Hernandez was often criticized by players, managers, and fans for missed calls and quick ejections, some of which occurred in high-profile situations.
In a statement released through MLB on Monday night, Hernandez said he has decided to retire to spend more time with his family.
https://t.co/OXStxIP0jr pic.twitter.com/OTLU3eaRhj
— CC Sabathia (@CC_Sabathia) May 28, 2024
Hernandez expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to live out his childhood dream of umpiring in the major leagues, starting with his first game in 1991.
He highlighted the positive changes in the game during his career, including the expansion and promotion of minorities, and noted that he was proud to have been an active participant in achieving that goal.
Last summer, Hernandez lost his racial discrimination lawsuit against MLB for a second time when a federal appeals court refused to reinstate his case. The court upheld a 2021 District Court decision that granted MLB a summary judgment, stating that Hernandez had failed to establish a statistically significant disparity between the promotion rates of white and minority umpires.
In 2018, Hernandez faced criticism from Yankees ace CC Sabathia during the AL Division Series after three of his calls at first base were overturned via replay in a four-inning span. Sabathia questioned why Hernandez would be allowed to work postseason games, calling him “absolutely terrible.”
Hernandez was sidelined by a back injury last season until July 31. This year, he was behind the plate eight times, with his final game taking place on May 9 between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox.
Reports from USA Today and ESPN, citing anonymous sources, indicate that Hernandez reached a settlement to leave MLB after two weeks of negotiations.
Born in Cuba, Hernandez 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 last LCS assignment coming in 2016.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.