During the final game of the series between the Phillies and Pirates, Bryce Harper was ejected after a check swing call had him striking out.
Harper was at-bat in a 3-2 count, and the pitcher for the Pirates was Luis Ortiz, who is known for his lack of control and consistent walking of hitters. The pitch was low and should have been a walk for Harper in the third inning, but instead, umpire Angel Hernandez said he swung through when he didn't.
Hernandez has a history of being one of the worst umpires in MLB history. Harper then flipped out after striking out and was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. Even the announcers saw that he didn't swing at it, and Harper was right to be upset. Harper then threw his helmet into the crowd as the one announcer said, "Somebody's getting a souvenir."
Angel Hernandez's past history of blown calls and ejections
It should have been a walk, and most people agree on that, but with Hernandez, he doesn't seem to favor players from the Phillies. One announcer even agreed that Hernandez causes problems, saying, "It just seems like every time he is on the bases or behind the plate, there's always an issue. It's almost 100 percent of the time."
This is frustrating for players and fans alike who just want to enjoy the game. Instead of getting the right calls, MLB continues to allow umpires like Hernandez to officiate games and cost teams victories. Rather than ever apologizing for a blown call, Hernandez just ejects the players who rightfully express their frustration.
In 2022, another Phillies player, Kyle Schwarber, had a legendary ejection versus the Milwaukee Brewers after Hernandez repeatedly made blown calls. It seems obvious that MLB should have a system like teams, where they can promote and demote umpires, because the current system isn't working as games continue to be marred by poor umpiring, and Hernandez is the best at being the worst.
