DENVER — Jonathan Hernández pushes the Rangers into an uncomfortable spot. They’d much rather he do that to hitters, instead. He’s got the stuff to do it. If he can find the strike zone more regularly.
For the second straight outing, Hernández lost control of the strike zone Sunday, walking multiple batters in succession in a 3-1 loss to Colorado. Hernández was called on in the eighth inning to keep a one-run deficit in order so the offense could have one last shot. He walked three consecutive hitters, forcing in the lone runner he inherited.
In his last two outings, Hernández has walked eight of the 12 batters he has faced. In six innings this season, he has allowed nine walks. Since returning from elbow surgery in 2022, he has averaged 5.4 walks per nine innings. It keeps him from being a leverage option in the bullpen, despite a fastball that ranges into the upper 90s.
“The stuff works in the majors,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “That sink, that slider work. But you just have to get it over the plate. He can be his own worst enemy at times.”
Twice in the final two days of the road trip, Bochy singled out a group of relievers in his bullpen that included Hernández, Owen White, Cole Winn and Yerry Rodriguez, all but begging for one of them to step up to claim a position of more prominence. With long reliever José Ureña currently needed in the rotation and Josh Sborz on the IL, the Rangers need guys to bridge from the middle innings to the late-inning duo of David Robertson and Kirby Yates.
The quartet has combined for an 8.23 ERA in 27.1 innings this season. White failed to retire a batter in Oakland in his lone outing, Winn has struggled lately, Rodriguez allowed the game-winning hit on Friday after entering a tie game. They have combined to walk 20 hitters and have allowed six homers.
Hernández, 27, is the most experienced of the group. He is also the only one out of minor league options, meaning that if the Rangers choose to go in a different direction there, they’d have to potentially expose him to waivers before he could be sent to the minor leagues. At the moment, the only reliever on the 40-man roster is lefty Antoine Kelly, who is still fresh off the IL at Triple-A Round Rock. So the system isn’t bubbling with options.
But when the manager asks for someone to step up, it’s not usually just a request; it’s an edict. Either step up or step aside.
Twitter: @Evan_P_Grant
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