Fastball

Umpire Angel Hernandez Goes Viral For Multiple Missed Calls in Yankees-Blue Jays Game

Despite being one of MLB's most infamously spotty umpires, Angel Hernandez still shocked people with how bad he was in Sunday's game between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.

Sam Connon

Aug 15, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Umpire Angel Hernandez (5) smiles prior to a game between the Royals and Mariners.
Aug 15, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Umpire Angel Hernandez (5) smiles prior to a game between the Royals and Mariners. / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays may have been playing in a classic divisional showdown on Sunday, but it was umpire Angel Hernandez who wound up taking center stage.

All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres led off the bottom of the first inning for the Yankees, working his way to a 3-2 count against Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Francis stumbled during his windup, leading Torres to step out of of the batter's box.

Francis delivered the pitch anyways, though, and the ball sailed a few inches over the strike zone.

So, whether it was correctly ruled a balk or simply called a ball, Torres was about to get a free pass to first base.

Hernandez thought differently, though, calling strike three, penalizing Torres for stepping away from the plate mid-pitch.

Torres immediately protested the call, although Hernandez was quick to dismiss him. Manager Aaron Boone came out of the dugout demanding an explanation, and he clearly wasn't satisfied with the one Hernandez gave him.

The fans at Yankee Stadium started an NSFW chant targeting Hernandez, and then erupted into boos when Torres finally sauntered back to the dugout.

Hernandez may have outdone himself just a few frames later, this time screwing up in the Yankees' favor.

The count was 1-0 with Blue Jays reliever Tim Mayza pitching to Yankees third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera in the sixth inning. Mayza tossed a 92 mile-per-hour sinker right down the middle, and Cabrera just watched it go by.

Inexplicably, Hernandez called it a ball, likely thrown off by catcher Alejandro Kirk popping up to threaten a throw to first.

Cabrera flew out to right later on in the at-bat, but Cavan Biggio needed to make a diving play, so shortstop Anthony Volpe was able to tag up and reach third. Volpe scored on a wild pitch shortly after, putting the Yankees up by three.

It managed to be a banner day for Hernandez, who has long been labeled as one of MLB's most inaccurate, inconsistent and irritable umpires. And per usual, fans in-person and online let Hernandez know what they thought of his performance.

The Yankees, meanwhile, went on to win 8-3. They improved to 8-2 on the season, while Toronto dropped to 4-6.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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