Baseball season is back, and so too is Ángel Hernández, much to the chagrin of MLB fans. As per usual, the embattled umpire made his presence known early in Sunday's Yankees vs. Blue Jays game.
Hernández drew early scrutiny from the New York faithful when he called second baseman Gleyber Torres out on strikes in the team's first at-bat of the day at Yankees Stadium.
The issue? Torres backed out of the batter's box before the called third strike, as he believed the Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis disengaged from the action by stepping off the mound.
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From a look at the broadcast, Torres was right. Bowden's right foot briefly came off the back of that rubber, but the pitcher quickly reset. Bowden then quick-pitched Torres, who was unprepared to hit because he believed the Blue Jays pitcher was stepping off the mound.
Despite the evidence, none of the umpires on the field called it in the moment. Making matters worse, Hernández called Bowden's pitch — which crossed the plate above the strike zone — a strike. Torres faced a full count, so Hernández's blown call not only resulted in a strikeout but also the Yankees a potential baserunner.
Below is a look at the entire sequence, which prompted Aaron Boone to come on the field and argue with Hernandez and his crewmates.
Angel Hernandez making his presence felt in the first inning pic.twitter.com/M0r16wskHG
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 7, 2024
Boone and Torres had reason to be upset. Two mistakes were made during the play, and the umpires — Hernández, Will Little, Nick Lentz and crew chief Lance Barksdale — didn't do anything to correct them even after an on-field huddle.
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While neither Boone nor Torres completely lost their cool, the crowd on hand in the Bronx made sure Hernández knew what they thought of his call as jeers rained down.
Naturally, baseball fans will be curious to see Hernandez's umpiring scorecard after the game ends. Given his track record and how the game began, it's hard to imagine him drawing overly positive marks for this one.