Joe West, 4 other former umpires sue over MLB retirement plan

Five former Major League Baseball umpires, including Joe West, have initiated a lawsuit against their retirement plan and its committee, claiming they are owed additional funds. The lawsuit was filed on September 29 in federal court in New York, with the umpires alleging that their benefits were inaccurately calculated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Their attorney indicated that the total amount owed exceeds $2 million.

West stated that when he raised concerns with the retirement committee, he was presented with a minimal settlement offer. He mentioned that MLB's senior vice president suggested he pursue legal action if dissatisfied with the proposed amount. The umpires, who retired between 2021 and 2024, are suing as individuals, as the Major League Baseball Umpires Association chose not to participate in the case. A pretrial conference has been scheduled for December 11 by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams.