The Marlins have optioned right-hander Elieser Hernandez to Triple-A, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. Hernandez has mostly pitched out of the rotation this season, making nine starts, though he also has a pair of relief outings to his name.
It was not long ago that Hernandez looked like a bedrock arm for the Marlins’ rotation, but the 27-year-old has been unable to keep the ball in the ballpark this season. He has surrendered a whopping 18 home runs in just 48 innings of work, leading to a 6.75 ERA/7.25 FIP. Hernandez has continued to control the zone in line with his career marks, posting a 47-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Hernandez tends to keep the ball in the air, but he’s done so this year more than usual with just a 30.0 percent groundball rate.
Though no corresponding move has been made, Braxton Garrett is expected to get the call-up Sunday to step into Hernandez’s rotation spot, per MLB Network contributor Craig Mish. The 24-year-old southpaw has yet to appear in the majors this season, but he has made 10 appearances (nine starts) over the past two seasons for Miami, compiling a 5.18 career ERA over 41 2/3 innings. Time will tell whether Garrett is able to hold onto a rotation spot in the long-term.
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