Full name is Darwinzon David Hernandez Afanador... First name is pronounced “DAR-win-zin.”
2021
Made his first Opening Day roster and appeared in 48 games with BOS, his 3rd season in the majors...Missed 37 games on the injured list with a right oblique strain...Allowed a season-high 4 ER in 0.0 IP on 7/18 at NYY, but posted a 2.48 ERA in his other 47 outings (11 ER/40.0 IP)...Struck out 29.7% of his batters faced (54 of 182)...39 of his 48 appearances were scoreless (81.3%)...Eight of those outings lasted 0.1 IP, seven were 0.2 IP, and 24 were at least 1.0 IP...Stranded 18 of his 26 inherited runners and retired 34 of 48 first batters faced...Held RHH to a .202 AVG (18-for-89) and LHH to a .204 AVG (11-for-54)...In 25 road games, posted a 2.42 ERA (6 ER/22.1 IP), compared to a 4.58 ERA in 23 home games (9 ER/17.2 IP)...Allowed 0 ER in 11 of his first 13 games from 4/3-5/6...Made nine straight scoreless appearances from 5/15-6/9...In that span, held opponents to a .045 AVG (7.1 IP, 1-for-22, 12 SO, 7 BB, 2 HBP)...In his final 22 games heading into the All-Star break (5/15-7/11), was 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA (3 ER/18.1 IP)...Allowed a HR to Jared Walsh on 7/7 at LAA, his first HR surrendered to a left-handed hitter in the regular season in more than four years (see box on right)...Allowed four ER without recording an out on 7/18 at NYY, then made nine consecutive scoreless appearances from 7/19-9/21...In that time, held opponents to a .097 AVG (9.1 IP, 3-for-31, 14 SO, 5 BB, 2 HB)...Placed on the 10-Day IL with a right oblique strain on 7/31 (retro to 7/30)...Made one rehab appearance on 9/7 with Triple-A Worcester vs. Lehigh Valley (1.0 IP, BB, SO)...Reinstated from the IL on 9/10...On the Sox’ road trip to CWS and SEA from 9/10-15, threw 4.0 hitless and scoreless innings (5 SO, 3 BB, HBP).
POSTSEASON: Was not on the Red Sox’ rosters for the AL Wild Card Game or ALDS...Made his Postseason debut with two appearances vs. HOU in the ALCS (1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 HR, 2 SO)...Struck out two batters but allowed two solo HR in ALCS Game 2 vs. HOU, his Postseason debut (0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER)...Also pitched 0.2 scoreless innings in Game 5 at Fenway Park (1 BB, 1 SO).
2020
Missed 43 games due to two stints on the injured list...Six of his seven appearances were scoreless...Struck out 32.5% of batters faced (13 of 40), the Sox’ 2nd-highest mark...Recorded at least 1 SO in each of his seven outings, striking out multiple batters in five of those seven. Allowed 0 XBH...Struck out 5 of his 9 LHH faced (1-for7, 2 BB)...Held RHH to a .167 AVG (4-for-24, 6 BB). Allowed zero runs in his four road games (6.0 IP). Opponents were 3-for-23 (.130) with runners on base, including 0-for-6 with RISP.
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 two 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' day-night 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 three 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.
