Five Ex-MLB Umpires Seek $5 Million in Federal Court

Five retired Major League Baseball umpires are seeking more than $5 million in federal court in New York, alleging that their retirement benefits were calculated incorrectly. The lawsuit, filed on September 29, names the American Leagues and National Leagues of Professional Baseball Clubs Retirement Income Plan for Umpires and its governing committee as defendants. Paul B. Holmes, the attorney representing the group, stated on Thursday that the total owed to the five individuals exceeds the half-million-dollar mark by a wide margin.

The plaintiffs include Joe West, Tom Hallion, Gerry Davis, Larry Vanover, and Jerry Layne. The legal action relies on the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, which regulates private-sector employee benefit plans. Holmes explained that while some parts of the pension formulas were open to interpretation, other errors made it clear the men were receiving less money than their contracts guaranteed.

West, who finished his career after the 2021 season, was the first to report the discrepancy to the committee. He said he was offered a small settlement amount in response. Steven Gonzalez, the senior vice president and chief employment counsel for MLB, reportedly told West, “If you don't like the number, sue us.” West later remarked on the comment, asking, “Does Steve Gonzalez not know my history with dealing with lawsuits?”

West holds a record for regular-season games worked, with 5,460 calls between 1976 and 2021. He also won a defamation suit against former catcher Paul LoDuca in 2021, collecting $500,000 in damages. The other plaintiffs retired at different times. Hallion left after the 2022 season, while Layne and Vanover both departed at the end of 2024. The Major League Baseball Umpires Association is not a party to the suit, as the men are suing in their individual capacities.

Holmes noted that the union chose to stay out of the dispute because it is a small organization and its members are not pension experts. MLB declined to comment on the case on Wednesday, citing its pending nature in the courts. The attorney said the team tried to settle the matter but that the offers were not competitive enough. He added that the plaintiffs were willing to accept slightly less than the full amount to avoid a long trial, but the gap between the sides remained too large.

The case was first reported by USA Today. U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams has set a pretrial conference for December 11. The lawsuit was initiated under federal jurisdiction, and the retirement plan and the five former umpires are currently preparing their arguments for the court. The dispute centers on the specific formulas and data used to determine the retirement income for the officials.

The legal process will now proceed toward the scheduled conference. Both sides will likely present evidence regarding the benefit calculations. The case remains an active matter in federal court, with the retirement plan and the plaintiffs continuing to prepare their positions.