Ángel Hernández, the polarizing veteran umpire who has drawn the wrath and exasperation from players, managers and fans alike over three decades, is retiring from Major League Baseball, a high-ranking baseball official told USA TODAY Sports.
MLB and Hernández had spent the past two weeks negotiating a financial settlement before reaching a resolution over the weekend.
The longtime umpire confirmed his retirement in a statement to USA TODAY Sports on Monday night:
“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. I treasured the camaraderie of my colleagues and the friendships I have made along the way.
“I have decided that I want to spend more time with my family.”
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Hernández, 62, worked his last game May 9 as the home-plate umpire in the Chicago White Sox’s 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Guaranteed Rate Field and never came back, replaced on the crew by Jacob Metz.
Hernández, baseball’s most controversial umpire, filed a racial discrimination lawsuit in 2017 against MLB, alleging that he was passed over for a crew chief position and World Series assignments because of race. He last umpired a World Series game in 2005 and a League Championship Series in 2016.
The lawsuit was dismissed in U.S. District Court in 2021, granting MLB a summary judgement. The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of…
