Just when the Houston Astros were hitting their stride, their fans found another reason to panic. This time it isn’t their offense or defense; it isn’t even their squad. The fans are now more worried about who’s standing behind the plate as opposed to the one standing on it. With Angel Hernandez set to become the plate umpire at Justin Verlander’s start, the fans are dripping with perspiration. 

Just the mere mention of Angel Hernandez has a polarizing effect on baseball fans. Some of his questionable calls have led to the fans calling for his firing. But while that is a far-fetched idea, it’s understandable in some way. After all, even players have, on multiple occasions, butted heads with the umpire. So now, with Verlander about to start against the Cleveland Guardians, the fans have a mixed reaction to this development. 

After enduring a huge losing streak, the Houston Astros have finally been able to find some momentum. The team swept the Colorado Rockies in Mexico City and defeated the Guardians 10-9 yesterday. So in an ideal world, Justin Verlander’s start would’ve made another win quite easy for them. But then Astros’ Beat writer Chandler Rome dropped a bombshell on the fanbase.

Now, even though Hernandez hasn’t been in controversies lately, his name still evokes panic. However, in a surprising development, there were a few fans who rejoiced at this presence. Even that happiness was due to Hernandez’s record. So as it stands, the Astros fans are once again watching a game with their heartbeats racing fast.

Justin Verlander’s start gets overshadowed by Angel Hernandez’s entry

The moment Rome posted about Hernandez’s plate umpire position X, it was filled with GIFs and comments full of panic. There was a visible shock in nearly every fan’s reply.  “Ruins my day,” a fan said. It was one of the most common reactions, as the Astros faithful suddenly lost interest in seeing the game.

“Wonderful. He should be sent down,” said another user. The fan channeled the growing calls for removing Hernandez from calling major league games. “Great! I’ll be there to boo him!!!” said another fan. It’s quite amazing how Hernandez’s presence has overshadowed the excitement of seeing Verlander perform live. 

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But then there were a few fans who liked that Hernandez was calling the game. “Lucky Justin,” said a fan. He was referring to how the umpire’s call usually benefits the pitcher. “That might help Justin a bit. He can throw more pitches outside the zone to his advantage, and he’ll know Angel will most likely call it a strike,” explained another fan. Are the Astros fans being cautiously optimistic here? Possibly. 

But then, they might not have any other choice. Despite a recent winning streak, the Houston Astros have a long way to go. With that in mind, it’ll be interesting to watch how fans will react to Angel Hernandez’s calls.