Angel Hernandez is ready for Opening Day after proving Friday he’s in midseason form.
The notorious MLB umpire ejected Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn from Friday’s spring training game against the Washington Nationals.
According to MLB.com’s John Denton, Lynn was arguing balls and strikes with Hernandez in the third inning.
Hernandez finally heard enough and sent Lynn, who was making his spring debut, to the showers.
Or so he thought.
Instead of leaving the field, Lynn walked to the bullpen to get him some more work, what with it being spring training and all.
But that didn’t sit well who tossed Lynn from his bullpen session.
What makes this story particularly interesting is Hernandez’s reputation as the worst umpire in MLB.
According to Umpire Auditor, Hernandez “finished the (2023) regular season as the lowest rated umpire (min. 10 games).
He didn’t get his start until August due to a back injury, but he racked up 161 bad calls in 10 games, including the lowest rated game.”
Among last season’s gems for Hernandez was the Aug. 12 game between the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins.
Umpire Scorecards reports Hernandez, who was working behind the plate that day, missed a whopping 15 calls in the Yankees’ 3-1 loss.
In September, it was Hernandez who ejected Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper from Philadelphia’s 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, triggering a viral moment from the two-time MVP when he tossed his helmet into the stands.
Hernandez has a long-standing history of struggles with making mistakes, including being removed from the 2018 World Series for a pitiful performance in the Yankees-Red Sox ALDS Game 3 when he missed three simple calls.
To that point, Hernandez had claimed that the MLB was discriminating against him in a lawsuit for not giving him a World Series assignment.
Hernandez lost his lawsuit in August when a panel of federal judges gave the 62-year-old a taste of his own medicine, tossing the case out of court.