Earlier this week, oft-criticized MLB umpire Angel Hernandez retired after three decades in Major League Baseball.

The 62-year-old Hernandez umpired what was to be his last game on May 9 as the home-plate umpire in the Chicago White Sox’s 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Now, former MLB manager Bobby Valentine has opened up on the criticism that Hernandez has taken while appearing on Outkick's ‘Hot Mic.'

“I managed a while ago and there wasn't really the grading system. It seemed to be there were times when Angel was having one of those days, sometimes he was perfect I thought during a game, but of course we must've been winning those games,” Valentine responded when asked whether he believed the criticism Hernandez received was fair.

“Angel was scrutinized, but I had the opportunity to go out with four Italian umpires… all who were on the same crew… when they were here in LA about a month ago, and I asked that. ‘Hey how about Angel? Do you guys get a lot of flack because of Angel's situation?' They went on to say that Angel is just one of those really good guys, the guy who would pick up the tab, the guy who would give to the charity that was needed, the guy to go out of his way to do good things. So the spotlight that's been on him is probably unfair, just like all the spotlights that get on people because they get trendy if you will.”

“That being said, Angel had a bad day or two for sure,” Valentine admitted.

Angel Hernandez was MLB's most notorious umpire

Umpire Angel Hernandez (5) works at third base during a game between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field.
© Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

Over the last decade-plus, Angel Hernandez been a source of seemingly constant controversy.

Hernandez filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against MLB in 2017, alleging that he was passed over for a crew chief position as well as World Series assignments because of his race.

Hernandez is Cuban-American. He last umpired a World Series game back in 2005 and a League Championship Series in 2016.

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His lawsuit against MLB was dismissed in U.S. District Court in 2021, granting Major League Baseball a summary judgement. The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the decision last year.

Hernandez was blasted online earlier this season after Texas Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford struck out on three consecutive pitches that were clearly outside of the strike zone.

Hernandez also famously had three calls overturned at first base in Game 3 of the 2018 American League Division Series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, with Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez bashing him on TV.

“Angel was horrible,” said Martinez. “Don’t get me going on Angel now. Major League Baseball needs to do something about Angel. It doesn’t matter how many times he sues Major League Baseball, he’s as bad as there is.”

Said Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia after the game: “I don’t understand why he’s doing these games. He’s always bad. He’s a bad umpire.”

Last month, Hernandez made a series of bizarre and poor calls in a game between the Yankees and Blue Jays that drew significant outrage online. Even MLB insider Jon Heyman had seen enough after that game.

“This should be Angel Hernandez's last game. Enough already.”