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The Reds haven’t said it yet, but the beat writers have it:
#Reds roster moves: RHP David Hernandez was designated for assignment; RHP Sal Romano called up.
— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) August 9, 2019
Update: The Reds make it official:
The #Reds today recalled from the Triple-A @LouisvilleBats RHP Sal Romano and designated for assignment RHP David Hernandez. pic.twitter.com/QUf9Rsxm2I
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 9, 2019
Can’t say this is a surprise.
It’s a cautionary tale about relief pitchers. Here’s what I wrote a few weeks ago:
“David Hernandez didn’t become a great reliever earlier this year. Journeymen relievers at age 34 don’t do that. Instead, his excellent month of June should be seen as a normal aspect of what the vast majority of relief pitchers go through. They can put together good stretches. In fact, if relievers don’t have those, they don’t last long enough to become veterans.
But relievers inevitably suffer bad periods as well. If relief pitchers are anything, they are inconsistent during the season and usually between seasons. If relievers had the stuff to get batters out on a consistent basis, they’d be starters.
Hernandez didn’t become great out of the blue and he isn’t terrible now.
He’s just David Hernandez, a journeyman relief pitcher and this is what they do.
You might have been misled by Hernandez’s ERA last year (2.53). But if you’d paid attention to better stats (his 4.12 xFIP, for example), you’d have known what would happen. If you’re analyzing relief pitchers based on ERA, you’re doing it wrong. That is unless you’re living the 1990s or before. We can do a lot better now.”
