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Orioles Acquire Darwinzon Hernandez, Designate Lewin Diaz

By Steve Adams | January 11, 2023 at 1:24pm CDT

The Orioles announced Wednesday that they’ve acquired lefty Darwinzon Hernandez from the Red Sox in exchange for cash. First baseman Lewin Diaz was designated for assignment yet again in order to create a spot on the 40-man roster.

The 26-year-old Hernandez will give the O’s an arm capable of missing bats at an elite level, but he’s also been plagued by jarring command issues throughout his career. Hernandez has punched out a hefty 32.3% of his opponents in 85 1/3 Major league innings, but that’s accompanied by a disastrous 17.7% walk rate. He still managed a sharp-looking 3.17 ERA in 2020-21, but opponents shelled him for 16 runs in only 6 2/3 innings this past season, bringing his career ERA to an unsightly 5.06. Hernandez has a pair of minor league options remaining and averages better than 95 mph on his heater, however, so the Orioles will hope they can tame some of those command woes and unearth a quality bullpen arm.

For Diaz, this is incredibly his fifth DFA of the offseason. He first went from the Marlins to the Pirates by way of waivers, and the Orioles claimed him (for the first time) from the Buccos shortly thereafter. Baltimore traded Diaz to Atlanta, who designated him for assignment five days later. The O’s claimed him again on Jan. 5, but his latest stint on the Orioles’ 40-man roster will apparently last just five days.

It’s a dizzying whirlwind of transactions that have surely made for a chaotic and unsettling winter for Diaz — a 26-year-old former top prospect who’s yet to have much big league experience at the plate but is regarded as one of the sport’s best defensive first basemen. Diaz is just a .181/.227/.340 hitter in 343 trips to the plate as a big leaguer, but he’s .250/.325/.504 hitter in parts of two Triple-A seasons.

The Orioles have spent the winter trying to add some lefty-swinging depth at first base, hence their two claims of Diaz and their trade for former Royals slugger Ryan O’Hearn, whom they almost immediately designated for assignment. The goal, surely, is to be able to successfully pass players like Diaz and O’Hearn through waivers and retain them as non-roster depth options in the upper minors.

To this point, however, no team has succeeded in getting Diaz through waivers. The allure of his glove and decent power production in the upper minors has continually piqued the interest of other clubs around the league. The Orioles hold the No. 17 waiver priority in the game (determined by last year’s standings), and Diaz has yet to make it past them on the waiver wire (he landed with Atlanta by way of trade, not waiver claim). Time will tell whether the O’s can finally succeed this time around, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Diaz again landed with another club via waivers or a small trade. His DFA will be resolved within a week’s time.

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Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Transactions Darwinzon Hernandez Lewin Diaz

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View Comments (57)

Comments

  1. futuregm12

    3 weeks ago

    Geez! How many times is Diaz going to get DFA’d?

    Reply
    • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

      3 weeks ago

      Diaz: The quintessential hot potato…

      Reply
    • MacGromit

      3 weeks ago

      And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
      Speaking words of wisdom
      Lewin be…[gone]

      Reply
      • Curly Was The Smart Stooge

        3 weeks ago

        McCartney, Ringo says hey

        Reply
  2. theathlete

    3 weeks ago

    Diaz: “How come they don’t want me, man?”

    Just like Will’s dad, these teams come around, and then leave him.

    Reply
    • soxfan1

      3 weeks ago

      Keep Wills dads name out yo mouth trust me

      Reply
    • Marinararivera

      3 weeks ago

      The saddest moment in Fresh Prince history, the first time I saw it my eyes started to water a tad lol

      Reply
  3. TheGr8One

    3 weeks ago

    An obscure Fresh Prince reference, my off-season is complete

    Reply
  4. Yankee Clipper

    3 weeks ago

    I wonder what the record is for the number of baseball employers without ever leaving your house?

    Reply
  5. TJECK109

    3 weeks ago

    Diaz is going to set a record for being on the most teams without ever playing a game for any of them. He will have a tough choice for which hat to wear in the HOF

    Reply
  6. olmtiant

    3 weeks ago

    The unmentioned amount of cash??? Any chance it’s 140 million??

    Reply
    • Fever Pitch Guy

      3 weeks ago

      olmtiant – Bloom is not getting out of the Story contract that easy! LOL!!

      Reply
  7. FletcherFan69

    3 weeks ago

    First Eduard Bazardo, then AJ Politi, and now Darwinzon. O’s are raiding Boston’s high minors bullpen depth

    Reply
    • HuntingtonGrounds

      3 weeks ago

      “Depth” for Orioles, Excess for Red Sox. They have better pitchers in high minors than them.

      Reply
      • FletcherFan69

        3 weeks ago

        Well yeah, that’s why Darwinzon got DFA’d

        Reply
        • HuntingtonGrounds

          3 weeks ago

          “raiding” is the word Im having trouble with. If I put something in my garbage and you come and take it are you really ‘raiding’ me?

    • Fever Pitch Guy

      3 weeks ago

      Fletch – Of all the guys you named, Darwinzon could be the one that really comes back to bite Bloom in the ass. if he turns it around with better control the way Bard, Pomeranz and Miller did, he will be a dominant reliever.

      Reply
      • FletcherFan69

        3 weeks ago

        Those comparisons aren’t exactly apples to apples. Darwinzon is just changing orgs. Bard was out of the league for years, Pomeranz changed roles and moved to the bullpen, and Andrew Miller had a year and a half of all-star caliber results in Boston when he was traded. DH has never thrown strikes and I just can’t see him cutting his walk rate in half and getting that down to an acceptable threshold while having electric stuff

        Reply
  8. bluejays92

    3 weeks ago

    If the O’s can get him to rein in the walks this could be a really nice low cost pickup.

    Reply
    • johnsilver

      3 weeks ago

      More to it than just reining in the walks bluejays92. Watch him over several outings and see how he just seems to not give a flip when he initially does not throw strikes to start an outing.

      This isn’t an Andrew Miller situation, where an organization messed up his mechanics and he had to rediscover what worked years before in order to succeed. This is a guy who lacks confidence once he gets behind that 1st batter, then just keeps throwing without giving a flip it looks like.

      fastball movement? Tops. Slider moves well and is nasty. it’s easy to see why the Sox have always been excited about him and his mechanics are relatively clean. His issues are all upstairs and I *do* hope he can overcome them with a new organization.

      Reply
      • HuntingtonGrounds

        3 weeks ago

        Good take johnsilver. I agree with everything except:
        ‘Fastball movement? Tops.’

        Scouting Report for Politi:
        “Fastball: 93-95 mph. Straight and lacks plane, but has been effective against less advanced bats. Control has improved as he has moved up the ladder and now projects as fringe-average. Potential below-average command. Pitch plays below velocity grade due to lack of movement and inconsistent command. Potential solid-average offering.”
        https://soxprospects.com/players/politi-andrew.htm

        Reply
        • Bruin1012

          3 weeks ago

          He’s talking about Hernandez who does have great stuff just can’t throw it for strikes and when it starts to go downhill for him in an inning it snowballs the guy has a $.02 head. Great stuff though if he ever harnesses it.

        • For Love of the Game

          3 weeks ago

          Which one are we discussing here, Darwinzon Hernandez or AJ Politi?

        • HuntingtonGrounds

          3 weeks ago

          My bad I had ‘Politi’ on the brain.

      • olmtiant

        3 weeks ago

        JS … nice comparison… Andrew miller was dominant for a chunk of change but did net Redsox E ROD…. If it works out for them a little revenge…

        Reply
      • Fever Pitch Guy

        3 weeks ago

        John – Your last sentence is 100% correct, and something the Bloom suckups just don’t get. When control is a pitcher’s only issue, it’s either their vision or their mental issues that is the cause of the wildness. Mental issues for pitchers can be corrected just as easily as mental issues for any non-athlete.

        I always LMAO when I see all the “Mental Skills” coaches & coordinators on the Sox payroll, more often than not they are totally useless and a waste of money. Most likely they got the cushy BS job because they are friends with Cora or some other team employee.

        Someone like Bard giving Dar advice would be so much more beneficial.

        Reply
        • JoeBrady

          3 weeks ago

          When control is a pitcher’s only issue, it’s either their vision or their mental issues that is the cause of the wildness.
          =========================
          Do you have anything to back that up? It feels like, if it was that easy, every team would do it.

      • AssumesFactNotInEvidence

        3 weeks ago

        @johnsilver – your entire comment has everything to do with reining in the walks but get all high & mighty…

        Reply
    • C Yards Jeff

      3 weeks ago

      O’s have been here recently. A lower velocity version of Tanner Scott with a curve ball.

      Reply
  9. PulledaBloom

    3 weeks ago

    D Hernandez – Good luck in Baltimore. While improperly used by Cora you always put forth your best effort and it was appreciated. There were many among the posters on this site that felt you had a great future as a set-up man.

    Best of luck in Baltimore.and congrats on escaping Bloom’s dungeon. I think you’ll find the environment in Baltimore much more like the environment in Boston before Bloom. Upbeat, positive and conducive to winning. In a few years, that organization could be contending for division titles. I wish I could say the same about Boston. They’ll be collecting high draft picks without trying to tank!!

    Reply
    • Curtisrowe

      3 weeks ago

      Guy names his account “Pulled a Bloom” and Then writes of “Blooms dungeon”

      There are ways to express discontent without seeming like you’re totally insane.

      Reply
      • JoeBrady

        3 weeks ago

        LOL! That boat’s already left the dock.

        Reply
  10. BaseballisLife

    3 weeks ago

    Diaz is gone … again.

    Reply
  11. Thornton Mellon

    3 weeks ago

    Hopefully Diaz has not bothered to go apartment shopping anywhere.
    Great for the Orioles to add another bullpen arm because could always use one more, but still not addressing areas of need (starter, offense).

    Reply
  12. Dorothy_Mantooth

    3 weeks ago

    Meanwhile, Kaleb Ort continues to have a spot on Boston’s 40-man roster…very confusing!

    Reply
  13. Guarded Indian

    3 weeks ago

    They are going to make a movie out of this.

    Reply
    • For Love of the Game

      3 weeks ago

      Maybe a very short children’s book:
      P. 1 Here’s Lewin in a Marlins hat. Run Lewin Run.
      P. 2 Here’s Lewin in a Pirates hat. Run Lewin Run.
      P. 3. Here’s…

      Reply
  14. Stan Konit

    3 weeks ago

    I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.

    Reply
  15. fearthecub

    3 weeks ago

    Insert Abe Simpson GIF

    Reply
  16. Get Off My Mound

    3 weeks ago

    Looks like we have our next Oliver Drake.

    Reply
  17. Dom2

    3 weeks ago

    Braves need someone to trade for unknown comp.

    Reply
  18. big boi

    3 weeks ago

    Diaz getting passed like a blunt lmao

    Reply
    • Marinararivera

      3 weeks ago

      Like a slow burn dutch sealed with wax and topped with keef!

      Reply
  19. rhswanzey

    3 weeks ago

    Schrodinger’s Lewin Diaz: he is simultaneously on the 40-man and DFA’d. Quantum slugging is fascinating stuff.

    Reply
  20. stretch123

    3 weeks ago

    Maybe this will be the motivation Lewin needs to tap into that raw power. Rooting for the kid! With his defense, even if he becomes a 15-20 HR bat, he can be a solid regular for a long time

    Reply
  21. Rsox

    3 weeks ago

    Whenever and wherever Lewin Diaz next MLB AB comes i hope his walk up music is “I’ve been everywhere” by Johnny Cash

    Reply
  22. 66TheNumberOfTheBest

    3 weeks ago

    Guy’s been on half a dozen MLB rosters the past two months and he doesn’t have a single jersey or ballcap to show for it.

    Reply
  23. Bobby smac9

    3 weeks ago

    That didn’t take long. Watch them put him on the injured list at the start of the season. Then they can work on his delivery. Boy oh boy if he could get that delivery refined….

    Reply
  24. bigbatflip

    3 weeks ago

    Finally Hernandez is off the roster. I do hope someone with the O’s can turn him around, he has decent breaking pitches but he has no idea how to control them and once he starts getting into trouble the wheels fall off.

    It’s a shame the Sox couldn’t figure him out because there is some talent there, but man was he ever a disaster for them.

    Reply
    • C Yards Jeff

      3 weeks ago

      telling to DFA a MLB experienced younger lefty arm and can only get cash for him. Looks like the Os have a project on their hands. Took a peak at his stats. One positive, other than high KO%, looks like he doesn’t give up dingers all that much.

      Reply
      • misterb71

        3 weeks ago

        That’s precisely where the two remaining options come into play. It certainly seems as if the Red Sox have given up on him by giving him the DFA in spite of his natural talents yet to be fully harnessed. WIth that being said, why keep 31-year old Kaleb Ort? Surely Hernandez has greater upside as he’s 4 years younger.

        Reply
        • HuntingtonGrounds

          3 weeks ago

          Ort’s a better pitcher, and can help the team this year. Age is immaterial when looking for a fringe player who can help now.

        • BStrowman

          3 weeks ago

          Hernandez can’t throw strikes.

          That’s extremely important. I don’t know that Elias can fix him but he’s very intriguing. Guys who havent thrown any strikes their entire career typically don’t figure that out though.

          Be great if he did but I think we’re going to be looking at a more frustrating Tanner Scott here.

        • JoeBrady

          3 weeks ago

          Ort’s a better pitcher, and can help the team this year.
          ========================
          Yup. I’m not sure why everyone is in awe of Darwin’s velocity when Ort might throw harder, with a bit more control, albeit four years older.

  25. GO1962

    3 weeks ago

    Poor Diaz is going to need a mental health professional to help him with deal intense feelings of rejection.

    Reply
    • BStrowman

      3 weeks ago

      Players should get a couple thousand bucks everytime they’re claimed. Might help them.

      Reply
  26. joblo

    3 weeks ago

    DiazFA.

    Reply

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