Retiring Umpire’s Blunt MLB Criticism Adds Twist to Verlander’s Farewell
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The Detroit Tigers built Saturday’s game around Justin Verlander’s final Major League start, but another longtime baseball figure had also entered the last weekend of his career.
Laz Diaz worked behind the plate as Verlander made his farewell appearance against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park, according to the live game listing from Yahoo Sports.
Diaz, 63, was one of seven veteran umpires who accepted buyouts and planned to retire after the 2026 campaign. His final career assignment was expected to come Sunday, making Saturday his last game behind the plate.
The assignment created an unusual shared farewell. Verlander prepared to leave the mound after 21 Major League seasons, while Diaz approached the conclusion of an umpiring career that began at Tiger Stadium 31 years earlier.
Diaz’s Career Came Full Circle in Detroit
Diaz made his Major League debut at Tiger Stadium in 1995 before becoming a full-time umpire in 1999. He eventually worked three World Series and several of baseball’s most recognizable events, including Barry Bonds’ record-breaking 756th home run and the first Field of Dreams Game.
His connection to Verlander extended beyond their final weekend in Detroit. Diaz served as the home-plate umpire for Verlander’s first postseason start, coming against the New York Yankees in the 2006 American League Division Series.
The Tigers won that game 4-3 at Yankee Stadium, beginning a postseason run that ended with Detroit reaching the 2006 World Series. Nearly 20 years later, Diaz received the assignment behind the plate for Verlander’s final appearance.
The two careers followed different paths, but both included more than two decades around the Major Leagues. Saturday allowed Detroit fans to recognize Verlander, while Diaz quietly completed another circle in the city where his career began.
Diaz’s departure, however, carried a considerably different tone. Verlander spent his final days celebrating baseball and thanking the people who supported him. The veteran umpire openly acknowledged that he would not miss the modern version of the game.
Veteran Umpire Criticized Modern MLB Environment
Diaz offered a blunt assessment of the profession during an interview with USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
"It’s nasty," Diaz said while discussing the growing criticism directed toward umpires.
He pointed to video review, public umpire evaluations, technological changes, and constant scrutiny as factors that made the job less enjoyable. Diaz also defended frequently criticized umpires Angel Hernandez and CB Bucknor, arguing that the attention surrounding missed calls had become overwhelmingly negative.
"There are a lot of people I’m going to miss, and I made a lot of friends, but what I won’t miss is the game," Diaz said. "Not one bit."
The comments carried additional relevance during the first year of MLB’s automated ball-strike challenge system. Umpires continued making the initial calls, but players could request technological reviews of selected pitches, placing more public attention on their accuracy.
Diaz told younger umpires that the job was no longer worth pursuing if they could not enjoy it. He still described his career as a blessing, but his comments showed how differently he viewed the sport as retirement approached.
A Reuters report on Diaz’s retirement described a veteran who appreciated the relationships and historic moments without embracing the direction baseball had taken.
Verlander’s farewell celebrated everything one player loved about a long career. Diaz’s quieter goodbye highlighted the pressure and frustration that accompanied life behind the plate.
Both careers returned to Detroit for one final weekend, but only one of the two men sounded as if he would miss the game.
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