Angel Hernandez Blows Easy Call In First Game Back From Hiatus

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Angel Hernandez may not actually be the worst umpire Major League Baseball has to offer, but there are still plenty of fans who would insist that’s the case thanks to his very, very, very long history of calls that leave plenty to be desired.

As a result, there wasn’t exactly an outpouring of grief when people realized he’d quietly stopped working games shortly after the current MLB season got underway,  and it seemed like there was a chance his career had come to an end after more than three decades of consistent frustration.

However, we eventually learned Hernandez had opted to take some time off to attend to an unspecified medical matter that kept him sidelined until the end of July.

He officially made his grand return when he stepped behind the plate for a AAA showdown between the Charlotte Knights and the Durham Bulls last week and, well, it’s safe to say he picked up right where he left off based on some of the balls and strikes that were called.

On Monday, Hernandez officially returned to the MLB when he was tasked with standing at second base during a showdown between the Nationals and the Brewers, and he didn’t waste any time returning to his wildly underwhelming form after ending his hiatus.

In the bottom of the fifth, Washington center fielder Alex Call attempted to steal second before Milwaukee catcher Victor Caratini threw a dart to Willy Adames, who appeared to apply the tag well before the runner got to the bag. However, Hernandez disagreed and called him safe.

Adames wasted no time telling the Brewers dugout to issue a challenge, and after a quick glance at the replay, the call was correctly overturned and the runner was ruled out.

I can’t think of a more appropriate way for Hernandez to show he’s back.