Phillies Sign David Hernandez
The Phillies have signed right-hander David Hernandez to a one-year major league contract, Vice President and General Manager Matt Klentak announced today.
Hernandez went 1-5 with a 4.28 ERA in 40 appearances for the Arizona Diamondbacks last year, including a 2.61 ERA over his final 12 games. He struck out 33 batters in 33.2 innings, posted a 1.31 WHIP (33 H, 11 BB) and averaged 94.3 mph on his fastball (according to FanGraphs.com). The 30-year-old spent the entire 2014 season and the first two months of the 2015 season on the disabled list following Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The procedure was performed by Dr. James Andrews in Florida.
Over his six-year major league career, Hernandez is 25-35 with 19 saves and a 4.15 ERA in 309 games between the Baltimore Orioles (2009-10) and Diamondbacks (2011-15). He has averaged nearly a strikeout per inning over that span (414 SO, 414.1 IP) while holding opposing batters to a .235 average. In 56 games against National League East opponents, Hernandez has a 2.98 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 63.1 innings. The Sacramento, Calif., native was originally selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 16th round of the 2005 draft out of Cosumnes River College (CA).