LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Reliever David Hernandez could’ve stayed with the Giants and began the season in Triple-A, pitching in his hometown of Sacramento. But at 31, coming off a pretty good year in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, he was more interested in opportunity than convenience.
He signed a minor league deal Sunday with the Braves, believing he could earn a spot on the major league roster if given a chance, which the team said it would provide.
“It was a hectic last 48 hours, but I’m happy I found a spot with a team that wanted me,” Hernandez said Monday after flying from Arizona and joining the Braves for Monday night’s Grapefruit League game against the Tigers. “I asked for my release from the Giants and spent all day Saturday trying to weigh options. It was a tough decision, but I think at the end it was a good decision and I’m ready to just compete and win a job.
“It was tough to say no (to Triple-A in Sacramento), but I felt this was the best opportunity for me and my family.”
With right-handers Mauricio Cabrera (sore elbow) and Rule 5 pick Armando Rivero (sore shoulder) likely to start the season on the disabled list, Hernandez, who has a mid-90s fastball, might have a good shot at winning one of the final bullpen spots. A non-roster invitee to Giants camp, he pitched only 5 2/3 innings in six appearances for San Francisco this spring and had a 4.76 ERA, allowing seven hits, three runs, and three walks with four strikeouts.
“I think the Giants had, like, 80 guys in camp (at the beginning of spring training),” he said. “There were a lot of pitchers. It’s tough to get innings for everybody, and hopefully I can just get work in (here). I think if I get work in, I’ll get more consistency.”
Last season with the Philadelphia Phillies, Hernandez posted a 3.84 ERA in 70 appearances with a 1.500 WHIP (walks-plus-hits per inning pitched) that was his highest in six seasons as a reliever. He had an impressive 80 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings but also allowed 77 hits and 32 walks.
“It was my first full season after Tommy John,” said Hernandez, who has a 3.79 ERA and 1.343 WHIP in 379 games (27 starts) over seven major league seasons with the Orioles, Diamondbacks and Phillies, with 494 strikeouts and 207 walks in 487 innings. “I think the goal for me this year is to throw more strikes, walk less guys. I know when I do throw strikes I’m pretty tough to hit. That’s just the problem, when you don’t (throw strikes) they don’t have to swing.
“So hopefully I come in and throw strikes. That’s No. 1 on my list of things to get better at.”
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