Rays sign free agent Hernandez to one-year contract

The Tampa Bay Rays have signed free agent right-handed starting pitcher Roberto Hernandez to a one-year major league contract.

Hernandez, 32, is a seven-year major league veteran (2006-12) who has spent his entire career to date with the Cleveland Indians.  In 2012 he made only three starts, all in August, and went 0-3 with a 7.53 ERA (14.1-IP, 12-ER).  He began the season on Major League Baseball's Restricted List due to visa issues stemming from an offseason false-identity arrest in the Dominican Republic.  After returning to the United States, Hernandez served a three-week suspension imposed by MLB and was then activated.  A sprained right ankle sustained on August 27 ended his season.

Formerly known as Fausto Carmona, the righthander has compiled a career 53-69 record and 4.64 ERA over 184 games, 153 starts.  He has limited right-handed hitters to a .243 batting average over his career.  Hernandez's best season came in 2007 when he went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA (215-IP, 73-ER) and finished fourth in the American League Cy Young Award balloting.  He was selected as an AL All-Star in 2010.  The Indians signed him out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on December 28, 2000.