The Mariners introduced a quartet of roster strikes tonight, together with the information that right-hander Jonathan Hernandez has been designated for project. Infielder Jason Vosler was additionally optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, whereas outfielder Dominic Canzone was reinstated from the 10-day injured checklist and righty Eduard Bazardo was referred to as up from Triple-A.
Hernandez hits the DFA wire for the second time in simply over per week, because the Rangers’ choice to designate the reliever led the Mariners to make a waiver declare. Hernandez has already made three appearances in a Seattle uniform, however after throwing scoreless innings in his first two outings, he was charged with three earned runs in simply one-third of an inning within the Mariners’ 6-2 loss to the Tigers yesterday.
As a result of Hernandez is out of minor league choices, the M’s needed to designate him and thus once more expose him to waivers with a purpose to convey Bazardo’s contemporary arm into the bullpen combine. If he clears waivers and is outrighted off Seattle’s 40-man roster, Hernandez doesn’t but have sufficient MLB service time to reject such an project in favor of free company, nor has he been beforehand outrighted throughout his profession.
Over 43 1/3 mixed innings with Texas and Seattle this season, Hernandez has a 5.40 ERA, 20.3% strikeout fee, and an unpleasant 14.6% stroll fee. The latter quantity is among the worst stroll charges of any pitcher in baseball, underlining the management issues which have marked a lot of Hernandez’s five-season run within the massive leagues. He was in a position to preserve issues in verify for lengthy sufficient to submit a 2.93 ERA over 61 1/3 innings for the Rangers in the course of the 2020 and 2022 seasons, with the 2021 marketing campaign a whole write-off whereas Hernandez was recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure.
Although the 2023 season was additionally a battle for the righty, Hernandez’s 2022 success is latest sufficient that one other group in want of bullpen assist might be keen to place in a waiver declare and guess on a turn-around. Hernandez turned 28 final month, and he’s nonetheless arbitration-controlled by way of the 2026 season. Incomes a $1.245MM wage this yr, Hernandez nonetheless has about $363K remaining, and a brand new group would owe solely the prorated portion of the typical MLB wage. The Mariners additionally paid solely a prorated common fee throughout Hernandez’s transient time on the energetic roster, because the Rangers are overlaying the majority of the remaining cash.
Canzone final performed on July 9, so he’s again after virtually precisely a month recovering from a proper adductor pressure. Between that absence and a previous IL stint on account of a left AC joint sprain, Canzone has been restricted to 54 video games and 159 plate appearances this season, hitting .211/.289/.394 with seven homers. Canzone’s left-handed bat can come off the bench and assist steadiness out a Mariners lineup that largely tilts to the correct aspect, and he’s a strong defender in any respect three outfield positions.
