The Dodgers on Thursday acquired left-hander Jose Hernandez from the Pirates for cash considerations, getting back the pitcher they lost to Pittsburgh in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft.
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Hernandez had a 3.38 ERA in seven appearances with the Pirates this season, with four strikeouts and four walks in 5⅓ innings. The left-hander spent the bulk of his time this year in Triple-A, where he had a 7.04 ERA in 14 games, with 21 strikeouts and nine walks in 15⅓ innings.
Pittsburgh designated the 26-year-old Hernandez for assignment on Tuesday. Last season, when Hernandez couldn’t be optioned without the Pirates first offering him back to the Dodgers, the left-hander put up a 4.97 ERA and 4.13 xERA in 50 games, with 62 strikeouts and 22 walks in 50⅔ innings.
This year, Hernandez has already been optioned three times, so he can only be optioned twice more before reaching the allotted limit for one season. He was on option when he was designated for assignment, so the Dodgers can simply assign him to Triple-A Oklahoma City without using another option, if they so wish.
The Dodgers originally signed Hernandez out of the Dominican Republic in 2016.
To make room for Hernandez on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred pitcher Ryan Brasier to the 60-day injured list. Brasier has already missed nearly seven weeks with a right calf strain, so this doesn’t materially affect his return timetable. This move merely sets a date of June 27 as the earliest he could possibly return once his 60 days are up.
