Ex-Phillies, Royals Fireballer Lands With AL-Leading Tigers After Recent DFA

In Major League Baseball, if you can throw a 100-mile-per-hour fastball, you'll probably get more than your fair share of second chances.

The Kansas City Royals cut ties with relief pitcher Carlos Hernandez before the season, after he spent 2024 bouncing up and down between the major leagues and Triple-A. He was one of the final roster cuts at the end of spring training, and he landed with the Philadelphia Phillies on a late-March waiver claim.

However, the issues that plagued Hernandez in Kansas City persisted in Philadelphia. He had a 5.26 ERA in 25 2/3 innings for the Phillies, allowing 32 hits and walking 13 batters. The Phillies, who have struggled to find consistency in their bullpen, designated him for assignment on Wednesday.

But thanks in part to his stellar fastball velocity, which ranks in the 95th percentile of all pitchers this season, Hernandez is getting another shot with a first-place ballclub.

On Monday, the official MLB transaction log reflected that Hernandez had been claimed by the Detroit Tigers, who lead the Royals by 11 1/2 games atop the American League Central.

The Tigers designated John Brebbia for assignment on Sunday, so they had a roster spot to play with. And Will Vest, one of the team's most dependable relievers, left Sunday's game with pinky discomfort, and may require an injured list stint.

Hernandez hasn't yet been added to the active roster, so there's a chance he could be waived again, with the Tigers hoping he would go unclaimed so they could outright him to Triple-A.

Still, the fact that multiple organizations continue to take their shot at this former Royals fireballer shows that if you can throw hard, teams will give you the benefit of hte doubt.

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