A federal appeals court has upheld a decision to dismiss a lawsuit brought by longtime MLB umpire Angel Hernandez, alleging racial discrimination in the league’s promotion practices. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled 3-0 against Hernandez’s claims that he was unfairly treated due to his Cuban background and not being promoted to crew chief. Hernandez, who has been a MLB umpire since 1993, contended that he was passed over for crew chief positions multiple times between 2011 and 2018, pointing to disparities in treatment for minority umpires.
The appeals court, however, stated that Hernandez failed to provide sufficient evidence of a significant disparity in promotion rates between white and minority crew chiefs. It also dismissed his claim that former MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre’s alleged animosity toward him affected his promotion opportunities.
The court’s decision upheld the dismissal of the lawsuit by U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken in March 2021. Oetken had previously accepted MLB’s explanations for not promoting Hernandez, citing reasons such as a missed home run call in 2013 and concerns over Hernandez’s confrontational style.
Hernandez’s lawsuit had sought redress for what he perceived as unfair treatment and discriminatory practices within the league. However, the court found that he did not demonstrate substantial evidence to support his claims. Hernandez’s legal team has yet to respond to the court’s decision, and MLB declined to comment on the matter.
This legal outcome marks a continued focus on diversity and inclusion within professional sports, with MLB making efforts to promote minority umpires to leadership positions in recent years.
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