Joe West finally retiring, but when will Angel Hernandez follow suit?

Controversial MLB umpire Joe West is finally retiring, which begs the question: will fellow MLB villain Angel Hernandez call it quits as well?

Well, it’s about time: Joe West has finally retired after 45 years as an MLB umpire.

West has been announcing his intended retirement for months now, making it clear that 2021 was his last season — but not before he nearly thwarted the Red Sox’s season after yet another botched call. West made his final appearance during the NL Wild Card Series, which resulted in a social media storm calling for West to be out of the game.

After all the gaffes and costly mistakes, the MLB has still kept on one of its most controversial umpires — but West still isn’t as bad as Angel Hernandez.

With West finally getting the message and leaving the game, perhaps Hernandez will also consider retiring in the coming season.

Will MLB umpire Angel Hernandez follow Joe West into retirement?

Angel Hernandez creates an ump show wherever he seems to show up, whether it’s by folding over the dugout to make a call, calling balls strikes against Alex Bregman, or finding a way to unite Dodgers and Giants fans into directing their hatred towards him.

If Joe West has proven anything, it’s that the MLB won’t force a game-ruining umpire into retirement. West is 69-years-old, and Hernandez is now 60. If age is a limitation, MLB fans can hope that he will retire at some point within the next decade.

But Hernandez’s calls wield too much power for him to remain in the game that long, which is why some MLB fans are trying to take matters into their own hands. There is a Change.org petition to force Angel Hernandez to retire.

“Angel Hernandez has impacted the game of baseball in more negative ways than PEDs, gambling, and even the shift,” the petition reads. “He has made countless atrocious calls that have ended innings, games, and even seasons.”

It’s hard to argue against Hernandez’s history of controversial calls, and it’s harrowing to think that he still has a chance to shape baseball history. But if it’s up to Hernandez, he likely won’t let go until he absolutely must.