10 Worst Umpires in Major League Baseball

The 2023 MLB season has officially hit the stretch run, which means it’s time for us to evaluate the league’s umpires. We’ve all noticed how bad umpiring has been across baseball over the past few seasons and calls for robotic strike zones have only increased. In 2023, umps also had the added pressure of having to enforce MLB’s new rules, which added a new layer of potential conflict.

Most people grade umpires on how they do when the draw assignments behind the plate, because that’s where they make the most impact on games. Luckily, it’s not hard for us to judge them, thanks to the folks at Ump Scorecards.

There are several metrics to grade umpires by. The first is accuracy, which is the percentage of pitches called correctly. The other is CCAx, or correct calls above expected, which is the difference between actual correct calls and expected correct calls. Consistency is the percentage of calls inconsistent with the established umpire zone, and favor is the difference between the home team’s run expectancy impact and that of the away team.

With that in mind, here’s our ranking of the 10 worst MLB umpires for 2023 (our 2022 list can be found here).

Hernandez missed most of the 2023 season due to a medical issue, but when he came back he was in midseason form. It didn’t take long for him to re-establish himself as the worst umpire in MLB history, specifically with his horrible work behind the plate.

It only took two games for Hernandez to give himself the second-worst correct call rate behind the plate for the 2023 season at 92.11 percent accuracy. He has also missed calls on the bases and just generally been terrible. Remember, this is the guy MLB has publicly claimed is a bad umpire. Somehow he still has a job. He remains at No. 1 in 2023.

Bucknor has continued to be an absolute joke behind the plate this season. The man many MLB players refer to as the worst umpire in the league isn’t getting any better. In 17 graded games behind the plate in 2023, Bucknor has gotten 92.8 percent of ball/strike calls correct. Bucknor’s CCAx number is -21.9. That’s awful.

The 60-year-old is known to have a huge strike zone, but is wildly inconsistent with it. His over-the-top strikeout call also drives hitters crazy. He’s horrible and comes in at No. 2 again this year.

Our biggest riser this season, Hunter Wendelstedt might be the worst umpire behind the place in the majors. His accuracy rate of 92.6 percent is the lowest among regular umpires, and his CCAx is also the worst at -40.6. Translation: he gets a ton of calls wrong and has no business behind the plate. He also missed calls by a lot. In June, he missed called a strike that was low by 5.56 inches. It was the worst miss on a low pitch this season.

Just to break down how bad he is, among MLB umpires, Wendelstedt ranks in the third percentile accuracy, fourth in accuracy above expected and sixth in consistency. He’s so damn bad and he’s also the first to rip off his mask and yell at anyone questioning him. A lethal combo. Despite his track record, he’s worked four League Championship Series and a World Series.

Diaz is always on these lists and there’s a reason. The short answer? He’s really bad at his job. In 12 graded games this season, Diaz has an accuracy rate of 92.6, the same has Wendelstedt. His CCAx is -20.8. His accuracy rate ranks in the fifth percentile, he’s in the third percentile in accuracy above expected, he’s in the 42nd percentile in consistency and tends to wildly favor home teams, as he ranks in the eight percentile in that category.

Diaz is another guy who hates to be questioned, no matter how bad he is. He’s a veteran bad umpire, so leave him alone and let him be awful in peace. The 60-year-old has been terrible at his job for 23 seasons now. Don’t expect any improvement. MLB seemingly hasn’t noticed how bad Diaz is, he’s a crew chief and has worked three World Series and four League Championship Series.

Eddings is another guy who is always on this lists and, while he’s really bad, it’s not just his lack of accuracy that makes him a terrible umpire. Eddings is known for ripping off his mask and getting into it with anyone who questions him, and he has a quick hook. He’s continually escalating situations rather than diffusing them.

On the season, Eddings’ accuracy sits at 93.1…