Umpire Angel Hernandez badly blew call in return from back injury

Longtime umpire Angel Hernandez made his MLB return on Monday night following a lengthy injury absence, and he wasted very little time living up to his reputation.

Hernandez is known for blowing calls. The 61-year-old has missed the majority of the 2023 season with a back injury, but he returned as the second-base umpire for Monday night’s game between the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers. Hernandez may have been a bit rusty.

Nationals outfielder Alex Call attempted to steal second in the bottom of the fifth inning, but he was thrown out by Brewers catcher Victor Caratini. Hernandez did not see it that way.

Welcome back, Ángel Hernández! pic.twitter.com/iIhEiq7Sj2

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 1, 2023

Replays showed that Call was out by more than a foot. The call was overturned.

Those who have followed Hernandez through the years might say he was in midseason form after missing four months. Hernandez is consistently regarded as one of the league’s worst umpires. His surreal strike zone gets most of the attention, but he has blown plenty of easy calls in the field as well.

Welcome back, Angel.