Brewers Sign a Free Agent Starting Pitcher, Ink Elieser Hernández to MLB Deal

The Brewers added to their pitching depth before Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, signing Elieser Hernández to a big-league deal.

Hernández threw 9 ⅔ innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers in late May. After posting an 8.38 ERA and 9.55 FIP, the Dodgers designated him for assignment last week. He rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A and elected free agency on Friday.

His most extensive big-league action came with the Miami Marlins, whom he pitched for over parts of five seasons. In 297 ⅓ career innings, Hernández owns a 5.15 ERA and 5.64 FIP. Most of the struggles stem from problems with home runs. As a heavy fly ball pitcher, he has allowed an alarming 2.12 home runs per nine innings.

Hernández is likely the latest temporary source of low-leverage innings for an injury-plagued Brewers staff, but he carries some intrigue. He features a five-pitch arsenal headlined by a four-seam fastball with above-average carry through the zone. The heater has induced its fair share of whiffs at times.

The 29-year-old tweaked the auxiliary pitches in that arsenal during his time with the Dodgers.

“There’s a few different pitches that we’re working on and working on different shapes,” he said.

Hernández has traded out his slider for a harder and shorter cutter. He has also experimented with a new curveball that he has used 11% of the time between his MLB and Triple-A outings this year.

Hernández is available out of the bullpen for now, but Pat Murphy did not rule out the possibility of using him as a starter.

“With our needs, the way it is right now, who knows?” he said.

Regardless of his role, the veteran will at least provide some short-term coverage as the club awaits word on the next steps for some of their injured starters. Jakob Junis and Joe Ross are on the mend, but Robert Gasser could be looking at a lengthy absence depending on the results of the third opinion on his left elbow.