Full name is Darwinzon David Hernandez Afanador ... First name is pronounced "DAR-win-zin" ... Signed by Rolando Pino and Ramon Mora (Red Sox).
2019
Made his ML debut and appeared in 29 games (1 start) over 4 stints with BOS, posting a 4.45 ERA and averaging 16.91 SO/9.0 IP (30.1 IP, 15 ER, 57 SO). Also pitched in 10 games (9 starts) with Double-A Portland and 7 games (3 starts) with Triple-A Pawtucket...Posted a 5.02 ERA, a .206 opponent AVG, and 12.40 SO/9.0 IP between the 2 clubs (57.1 IP, 32 ER, 79 SO). For BOS, held left-handed hitters to a .089 AVG (4-for-45) and 0 HR...Struck out 31 of 55 left-handers faced (56.4%). Allowed 0 runs in 8.2 IP from the 8th inning on in the majors... Gave up 0 hits in the 8th and 9th innings (6.2 IP).Surrendered 1 HR to 147 ML hitters faced.
2019 Season Timeline:
Attended his first Major League Spring Training camp. Began the season with Portland and threw 5.0 scoreless innings in his 2019 debut on 4/7 vs. Reading, striking out 10 batters. Recalled by BOS for his first career ML stint on 4/23, as the 26th man prior to Game 2 of the Red Sox' daynight doubleheader vs. DET. Made his ML debut that night, entering the game in the 5th inning...Threw 2.1 scoreless innings with 4 hits allowed, 4 SO, and 1 BB . Struck out Jeimer Candelario for the final out of the 5th inning on 4/23, his first career strikeout...Then
struck out 3 batters in the 6th inning...Was optioned to Portland after the game. Recalled from Portland a 2nd time on 5/26 but did not
pitch that day at HOU...Optioned to Portland on 5/27. Recalled from Portland on 6/11 and started that night's game vs. TEX (L, 3.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R/3 ER, 5 BB, 7 SO)...Optioned to Portland after the game. Promoted to Pawtucket on 6/15. Recalled from Pawtucket on 7/16 and spent the rest of the season with BOS. Allowed 0 ER in his first 10 appearances after the 7/16 recall (9.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 7 BB, 18 SO)...In that time, held opponents to a .129 AVG (4-for-31) and allowed 0 HR. In 8 appearances from 8/20-9/6, allowed 0 ER in 8.1 IP with 16 SO, 5 BB, and 0 XBH allowed (4-for-29, .138). In the Red Sox' 7-6, 15-inning win at LAA on 8/30, struck out 5 batters and walked none in 2.0 scoreless innings (10th-11th).
2018
Went 9-5 with a 3.53 ERA (42 ER/107.0 IP) between High-A Salem (23 GS) and Double-A Portland (5 relief appearances) ... Allowed only 1 HR, including 0 in his final 65.2 IP ... Among the 602 minor leaguers who threw at least 85.0 innings, owned the 3rd-lowest HR/9.0 IP ratio (0.08) and 16th-highest SO/9.0 IP ratio (11.27) ... His ratio of 134 SO/HR was the largest in that group ... Did not allow a HR to any of his 140 left-handed hitters faced (24-for-111, 42 SO, 18 BB, 10 HBP, 1 SH) ... Entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox' No. 6 prospect, as well as having the best fastball in the Sox' minor league system ... Began the season at High-A ... His average of 11.05 SO/9.0 IP while with Salem ranked 1st in the Carolina League (min. 70.0 IP) ... On 7/8 at Potomac, allowed 0 hits and recorded a career-high 10 SO in 5.2 scoreless innings (5 BB, 1 HBP) ... In his final 8 starts with Salem (7/3-8/17), went 6-0 with a 1.29 ERA (6 ER/42.0 IP) and a .197 opponent AVG ... On the 7-day DL from 8/5-16 with a left pelvis strain ... Transferred to Portland on 8/22 and spent the rest of the season with the Sea Dogs as a reliever ... Following the season, made 8 appearances - all in relief - for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League ... Posted a 1.59 ERA (2 ER/11.1 IP), allowed 0 XBH, averaged 19.06 SO/9.0 IP, and struck out 24 batters while walking only 6 ... Also played in the Fall Stars Game on 11/3 and faced 2 batters, allowing a single and recording a strikeout.
