McAdam: Red Sox trying to figure out how to best utilize Darwinzon Hernandez

Darwinzon Hernandez is one part pitcher, one part Rorschach test. He can be whatever you see, whatever you want him to be.

The Red Sox, to date, have not made up their minds, but they're intrigued by the various possibilities.

Some look at him and see a dominant multi-inning reliever. Some see him as a future closer. And still others view him as a starter.

Hernandez arrived at the big leagues ahead of schedule last year. He made his debut in a one-game call-up out of the bullpen in April. Two months later, he returned for a spot start. When he came back to stay in July, it was mostly as a high-leverage option for the sixth or seventh inning.

It was the perfect introduction for Hernandez, who struggled to throw strikes at times. But in shorter stints, Hernandez was free to air out his high 90's fastball and pair with a sweeping slider and dominate hitters. Hernandez struck out 57 hitters in 30.1 innings for an almost unfathomable 16.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

Expected to be part of the Red Sox bullpen again this season, Hernandez's start was delayed when he tested positive for COVID-19 in early July. After a lengthy quarantine and recovery and a few weeks at the team's alternate training site in Pawtucket, Hernandez was finally reinstated from the IL Thursday, joining the team in Baltimore.

Having spent time building up arm strength -- including a three-inning stint in a simulated game over the weekend at McCoy, under the watchful eye of Chaim Bloom -- Hernandez is slowing being stretched out. But even as he was activated, the Sox' plans for him were unclear.

Ron Roenicke said Thursday that he intended to get Hernandez an inning either Thursday night or Friday night.



"Then, we'll just try to kind of build from there,'' said Roenicke. "It could be two (innings) the next time, it could be three. And then as we go on, we'll see what we feel like. If Chaim and the crew and us down here, if we feel like we can try to start or him or if we like him so much in the bullpen we could keep him there and have some length with a guy you really like in that role.''

"We'll mix it up. It won't (necessarily) be so fixed. If he's throwing up zeros, we'll want to throw him out there more often when it's close or when we have the lead.''

The possibilities are almost endless for Hernandez. In the short-term, he could serve as an opener, which could serve as a means to ease him into a bigger workload. He could be an eighth-inning option, giving them a power lefty arm on nights when Matt Barnes isn't available. Or, he could either piggyback behind an opener or just provide multi-innings of relief.

But the most intriguing role of all is one for which the Sox have the most desperate, glaring need: starter. In the first 26 games of the season, the Red Sox won exactly one (1) game not started by either Nathan Eovaldi or Martin Perez.

Typically, teams don't want to give up on a young pitcher as a potential starter until it's demonstrated that he can't handle the job. And given the shortage of top starting prospects in the upper levels of the Red Sox' farm system, the Sox would be foolish to close that door on Hernandez.

Their best long-term starting pitching prospects are either in need of a lot more development (Jay Groome, Bryan Mata) or currently out of the game (Naval officer-in-training Noah Song).

First, however, Hernandez needs to improve two aspects of his age to flourish in that role.

Most obviously, he needs to demonstrate better control. While his strikeout numbers were eye-popping last season, so too were his walks, as he averaged almost a walk per inning (26 in 30.1).

Also, Hernandez needs to develop a reliable third pitch for his repertoire. He occasionally mixes in a curveball, but to get through a major league lineup two or three times, Hernandez will need to show hitters something beyond his fastball and slider.

Last year -- and again earlier in spring training -- Hernandez was careful not to be outspoken about the role he prefers, insisting that he was more than satisfied to be part of the staff and eager to contribute in any way the team chose.

On Thursday, he reiterated that same sentiment, but allowed that, yes, his preference would be to be used as a starter.

It will take some time to get there, of course. Hernandez will need additional time to build up. But along the way, he can provide valuable bullpen innings, and serve as a bridge between starters who haven't been able to go deep -- Zack Godley has been unable to get past the fourth inning in his four starters -- and the team's high-leverage options.

If there can be any benefits from the team's recent nine-game losing streak, which effectively took the team out of any playoff consideration, it's that it frees the Sox to begin focusing on the future. Auditioning Hernandez in the rotation should top the team's To-Do list in September.