Infamous MLB umpire Angel Hernandez has found a new way to blow a call.
Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres was called out on strikes in the bottom of the first inning of his team’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Torres immediately looked confused, and for good reason.
Just before delivering the pitch, Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis stepped off the rubber with his right foot. That caused Torres to back off of the plate, but Francis then put his foot back on the rubber and delivered the pitch anyway. You can see a video of the sequence:
Umpire Angel Hernandez rang up Gleyber Torres on a pitch that missed high and, in fact, never should've counted at all.
Hernandez and the entire crew failed to recognize that the pitcher stepped off the rubber, causing Torres to step out of the box.#Yankees #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/KuRujhpRYd
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) April 8, 2024
The pitch was also high and out of the strike zone, but the bigger issue was that Francis stepped off the rubber. Hernandez and his crew somehow did not notice that, and the mistake was not rectified after Yankees manager Aaron Boone came out of the dugout to state his case.
Later in the game, Hernandez also had one of his patented horrendous ball-strike calls. You can see that video here.
Hernandez was not the only member of the umpiring crew who should have seen Francis step off, but the sequence is yet another blemish on the longtime veteran’s resume. Hernandez is already off to a rough start to the 2024 season, though no one is surprised.
