Headlines

  • Chris Paddack Undergoes Tommy John Surgery
  • Brandon Lowe Diagnosed With Stress Reaction, Shut Down For At Least Three Weeks
  • DeGrom MRI Reveals “Continued Healing”; Still No Clear Timetable For Return
  • Boras: Michael Conforto Not Ruling Out Late-Season Return
  • Mariners Option Jarred Kelenic, Claim Adrian Sampson
  • Kumar Rocker Signs With Frontier League’s Tri-City ValleyCats
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Rangers’ Jonathan Hernandez Shut Down At Least Four Weeks

By Steve Adams | March 9, 2021 at 12:05pm CDT

Young Rangers right-hander Jonathan Hernandez will be shut down for at least the next four weeks after being diagnosed with a “low-grade” sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, tweets Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The team is not yet anticipating surgery will be necessary, but the shutdown means they’ll be without one of the most promising members of their bullpen for an extended period.

Hernandez, 24, had a shaky 2019 debut but broke out with a 2.90 ERA and 3.67 SIERA in 31 innings last season. The young flamethrower averaged 98.3 mph on his sinker and punched out a quarter of the batters he faced against a tidy 6.4 percent walk rate. He’d been expected to be one of the team’s primary late-inning options, but the fact that he won’t throw at all until after Opening Day means that even in a best-case scenario he could miss a month or more of regular season work. Hernandez will need to build back up and go on a rehab assignment before he reemerges as an option in the Texas bullpen.

Injuries pertaining to the UCL carry the risk of Tommy John surgery, and a even a mild sprain, by definition, means there is some degree of stretching/tearing in the ligament at present. The extent of the damage is apparently mild enough that the team will hope to avoid that last-resort scenario for now.

It’s long appeared likely that there are some spots in the Rangers’ bullpen up for grabs, and an absence for Hernandez only adds to that reality. Jose Leclerc is expected to be back from last year’s teres major strain to handle ninth-inning duties. Left-hander Joely Rodriguez has been slowed by a sprained ankle in camp but is expected back on the mound shortly and, if healthy, should get late-inning work. But the Rangers are lacking in seasoned bullpen arms overall, creating the possibility for young arms to break through and for minor league signees to land spots on the 40-man roster. Veterans such as Ian Kennedy, Nick Vincent, Hunter Wood and Sam Gaviglio are in camp on non-roster deals, as is righty Spencer Patton, who has reinvented himself in Japan over the past four seasons.

Share 0 Retweet 3 Send via email0

Texas Rangers Jonathan Hernandez

Braves, Ryan Goins Agree To Minor League Deal
Main
MLBTR Chat Transcript
View Comments (28)

Comments

  1. Metsin7

    1 year ago

    Rangers are some how getting worse while being the worst team already in the Mlb

    Reply
    • Francys01

      1 year ago

      The Rangers are not the worst team in the majors. That is a fact. First, you need to mention either the Pirates, Orioles, Colorado, among others.

      Reply
      • DarkSide830

        1 year ago

        I dont quite think Colorado is worse then Detroit, but i agree with the overall sentiment

        Reply
      • Metsin7

        1 year ago

        Pirates have decent hitting with Newman, Reynolds, and Kebryan Hayes

        Orioles have decent hitting as well with Mancini coming back and Mountcastle

        Rockies have Story, Marquez, Gray, Freeland

        Rangers have no one other than Gallo whos streaky and Dunning who hasnt done much

        Reply
    • madmanTX

      1 year ago

      Hardly the worst. What a stupid comment.

      Reply
    • GarryHarris

      1 year ago

      Sorry to say that I’m in agreement here and possibly the worst in Rangers’ history. I hope I’m wrong.

      Reply
      • CursedRangers

        1 year ago

        Concur – massive Rangers fan as well. But we’re playing for a top five draft pick this year. Injuries could easily put us in the running for the number one spot. Team has a ton of holes, especially with pitching and at 3rd. A majority of the players wouldn’t be starters on most teams.

        It’s all good as the team needs to build up its farm. Plus we will have a ton of payroll flexibility to sign FA players to get this team back to contention sooner, rather than later. But 2021 is going to be rough.

        Reply
  2. cheeryvladdy

    1 year ago

    Whatever happens to Matt Bush? Hope the rangers smartened up and DFA’d that loser.

    Reply
    • Steve Nebraska

      1 year ago

      He was DFA’d 3 years ago, dude. You don’t seem to be very cheery.

      Reply
      • cheeryvladdy

        1 year ago

        Why would I be cheery talking about an abusive drunk? The guys a clown and should be in prison.

        Reply
        • madmanTX

          1 year ago

          Lot of guys like that in Hall of Fame and on rosters all over MLB including probably your favorite team.

    • fathead0507

      1 year ago

      He’s in camp actually.. still throwing 95mph.. this actually might help his chances

      Reply
    • DarkSide830

      1 year ago

      in camp on NRI

      Reply
  3. Rangers29

    1 year ago

    NOOOO!

    UCL?! I hate the sound of that…

    UCL issues are the last thing I want to hear about in any pitcher.

    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      1 year ago

      especially on Hernandez no less. this dude is a killer out of the pen and could (and should) be starting

      Reply
      • Rangers29

        1 year ago

        He used to be a starter and moves to the pen after bad stints in the minors as a starter. I doubt they’ll try to move him back at the highest level. He’s just a lethal multi-inning reliever.

        Reply
        • DarkSide830

          1 year ago

          i mean, he was usually young for his level and only really struggled in 2019. I guess though its a matter of how much better he is as a reliever, and he does look stellar in that role. (I daresay he had a solid shot to take the closing spot with a lot of the other options also dealing with injuries)

        • Rangers29

          1 year ago

          It’s not outlandish to say that he could be the closer, but that role is for Leclerc now that’s trying to regain his lost value.

          Right now Hernandez will work as a multi-inning fireman, and it’s the best role for him at this time. I believe he has some of the best stuff in the game today, and his mental state helps a ton too. He loves the pressure. I imagine he’ll stay in this same role with us for a while.

    • Technically correct

      1 year ago

      I know you mean well and UCL is typically not great news, but last thing is definitely Skaggs or Adenhart. We’ll all happily take a four week shutdown here. Hope it goes well.

      Reply
      • cookmeister

        1 year ago

        huh

        Reply
  4. Jeff Zanghi

    1 year ago

    Looking at Hernandez stats on MLBReference I stumbled across something I found rather interesting… he seems to have signed as an amateur, international, free agent (at the age of 16) yet his birthplace is listed as Tennesee… does anyone know the story behind that? How/why he was eligible to sign at 16 and not 18/high school graduate like any other US born player would be?

    Reply
    • Rangers29

      1 year ago

      I saw this excerpt on MLB.com that might answer your question:

      “Jonathan Hernández…father, Fernando, pitched professionally for 14 seasons and appeared in 2 games with the Detroit Tigers in 1997…father also spent two seasons in Korea, winning 14 games with SK Wyverns in 2001…was born in Memphis, Tenn., while his father, Fernando, pitched for the Double-A Memphis Chicks in the Padres farm system, but grew up in the Dominican Republic…is a fan of LeBron James.”

      Lived in the D.R; born in U.S.

      Reply
  5. Oneofthesedays

    1 year ago

    Well this hurts, probably the strangers best reliever

    Reply
  6. Peart of the game

    1 year ago

    Wood and Patton look to be contending for a bullpen spot right now

    Reply
  7. GarryHarris

    1 year ago

    Is this the worst team in Rangers’ history?

    Reply
    • chris44

      1 year ago

      haha you must be young. Not even remotely close to the worst Rangers team.

      Reply
  8. Sonny

    1 year ago

    Get Cashner. He did a job when he was here.

    Reply
  9. Sonny

    1 year ago

    Get Cashner. He did a good job when he was here.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Chris Paddack Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

    Brandon Lowe Diagnosed With Stress Reaction, Shut Down For At Least Three Weeks

    DeGrom MRI Reveals “Continued Healing”; Still No Clear Timetable For Return

    Boras: Michael Conforto Not Ruling Out Late-Season Return

    Mariners Option Jarred Kelenic, Claim Adrian Sampson

    Kumar Rocker Signs With Frontier League’s Tri-City ValleyCats

    Dodgers Place Clayton Kershaw On Injured List

    Bryce Harper Has Tear In UCL, Won’t Throw For Four Weeks

    Padres Sign Robinson Cano

    Gerardo Parra Retires

    Mariners Promote George Kirby, Place Ken Giles On 60-Day IL

    Diamondbacks To Promote Alek Thomas

    A’s Reinstate Ramon Laureano, Designate Jorge Juan

    Mets Release Robinson Cano

    Twins To Promote Royce Lewis

    Recent

    Chris Paddack Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

    Andrew Knapp Elects Free Agency

    Nats’ Dave Martinez And Mike Rizzo In Final Guaranteed Contract Year

    Rays Add Luke Bard To 40-Man Roster

    Diamondbacks Acquire Paul Fry From Orioles

    Angels Designate Cesar Valdez, Outright Aaron Whitefield

    Cubs Activate David Robertson From Injured List

    Pitching Notes: Kershaw, Wacha, Hernandez, Mayza

    Latest On Bryce Harper

    Padres Activate Blake Snell From Injured List

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Trevor Story Rumors
    • Frankie Montas Rumors
    • Michael Conforto Rumors
    • Arbitration Tracker
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • MLB Player Chats
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version