Another week, another Angel Hernandez special and Bryce Harper wasn’t having it.
On Thursday, the Philadelphia Phillies were hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates as the 2023 MLB regular season enters its final days. The Phillies recently clinched the first wild card spot in the National League, with the team looking to get back to the World Series off of bats like Harper’s.
In the bottom of the third, with one out and no one on, Harper was faced with a full count. Harper made a check swing on a ball low and away and was called out on strikes after the home plate umpire checked with Hernandez at third. Harper was absolutely livid after the call, as he went off on Hernandez and earned himself an ejection in the process, throwing his batting helmet to the Phillies crowd on his way out.
Angel Hernandez rung up Bryce Harper on this check swing call
Harper lost it, got ejected and then tossed his helmet into the crowd pic.twitter.com/JcUB2V5VhU
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 28, 2023
That’s definitely not a swing. Let’s see it from the other angle, shall we?
Guess what umpire called this a swing? pic.twitter.com/hJrYaU8H4r
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 28, 2023
Not even close! We’ve seen a lot of Hernandez gems either in the field or behind home plate this season, but this one is especially egregious.
Here’s how MLB fans reacted after Harper was ejected for being totally right on this terrible Hernandez call.