The Dodgers announced that the right-hander Wyatt Mills was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Comrade right-handed Jonathan Hernandez was designated for assignment as an appropriate move.
Hernandez, 29, signed a major league contract just over six weeks ago. Since then, he has made 12 appearances for the Dodgers, working in low-leverage roles. He threw 17 2/3 innings, allowing 8.15 earned runs per nine. A dismal 59.1% strikeout rate didn’t help his cause, but he also had subpar strikeout and walk rates of 18.1% and 14.5%, respectively.
This lackluster performance knocked him out of the lineup. He has no choice and had to be kicked out of the 40 people entirely. He will be in DFA limbo for a week at most. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Dodgers could take up to five days to explore trade interest, although they could also put him on the wire sooner if they choose.
While this year’s numbers are low, it’s possible that he’s generating interest based on past performances and his raw material. He averages about 97 mph on both his four-seamer and sinker, and throws a slider and changeup.
He once had a few decent seasons with the Rangers. Arguably his best performance came in the shortened 2020 campaign, when he threw 31 innings with a 2.90 ERA, 24.8% strikeout rate, 6.4% walk rate and 45.7% groundball rate. Tommy John surgery ruined his 2021. He returned to the mound in 2022 and posted a 2.97 ERA, albeit with a 20.6% strikeout rate and a 13% walk rate. He then struggled in subsequent seasons, posting a 5.40 ERA in both 2023 and 2024. He spent most of 2025 on the injured list in the minors.
It’s obviously been a tough few years for Hernandez, but the momentum is still there. Given the injuries in the league, perhaps a club will swoop in for him. If he accepts the waiver, he will be eligible to opt for free agency because he has a previous career and at least three years of service.
Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images