Dodgers Acquire Pitcher Roberto Hernandez For Cash, Two Players To Be Named Later

This just in! Hot off the presses my little Lairians! The Dodgers have acquired right handed starter Roberto Hernandez from the Phillies for cash and two players to be named later. Hernandez is the pitcher formally known as Fausto Carmona. If you remember he used a fake name to come over to the major leagues, and then got busted and had to change it back.

The 33-year old right hander is from the Dominican, and orifinally signed by Cleveland as an amateur free agent in 2000. When coming up with the Indians, he was kind of hit and miss. He had some issues with command, although he did have one really good year with the Tribe.

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In 2007 Hernandez posted a 19-8 record, 3.06 ERA and whiffed 137 against 61 walks in 215 innings pitched. That was good enough to earn him fourth place in the AL Cy young award voting. He was an all-star in 2010 for the Indians when he posted a 13-14 record and a 3.77 ERA in 210 innings of work.

He’s never been a big strikeout guy. He has a 5.6 career whiff per nine rate, and a 4.1 walk per nine rate. Overall he has a 65-90 record, with a 4.59 ERA. Hernandez is more of a ground ball guy, inducing grounders at a 52 % clip.

This season with the Phillies he’s posted a 6-8 record with a 3.87 ERA, and a 4.62 FIP in 121 innings. He’s whiffed 75 and walked 55 in 23 games.

Of course he had to clear waivers first, and I’m guessing the Dodgers claimed him before the trade was worked out. Hernandez had signed with Philadelphia on a one-year contract for 4.5 million dollars before the 2014 season. Not sure yet as to how much of his salary the Dodgers will have to pay the rest of the way. Although it can’t be much.

It is still uncertain as to what role he will have with the club. After Dan Haren’s impressive performance on Wednesday night against the Angels, the Dodgers are probably not replacing Haren with Hernandez. Is he going to replace Beckett’s spot? He does have the hip injury. So it’s possible Beckett goes to the DL and Hernandez takes his place.

Or possibly Hernandez might be put into the bullpen to act as the long man/spot starter. Basically it’s the Paul Maholm role. We still don’t know who the two players to be named later are. Stay tuned for this developing story, we will let you know more when we know more.