Twins pick up free-agent hurler Hernandez
After trading Johan Santana to the Mets and losing free agent right-hander Carlos Silva to the Mariners, the Twins have signed Hernandez to a one-year contract in the range of $5 million to $6 million, according to major-league sources.
The deal, expected to be announced Tuesday, will include performance-based incentives that will enable Hernandez to approximate his $7 million salary with the Diamondbacks last season.
Hernandez, who turns 33 on Feb. 20, will be the sole veteran in a rotation that likely will include no pitcher who is older than 26.
The Twins evidently value Hernandez's durability. Hernandez leads the majors in innings pitched since 2003, and has exceeded 200 innings in every season since 2000.
Only three major-league pitchers have made 30 or more starts in each of the past 10 seasons -- Hernandez, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.
However, Hernandez has spent his entire 12-year career in the National League, and some scouts and executives believe he is ill-suited to pitch in the more offensively oriented AL.
Last season with the Diamondbacks, Hernandez allowed 34 home runs, the second-highest total in the NL. He finished 11-11 with a 4.93 ERA, then made two starts in the postseason, beating the Cubs in the Division Series but losing to the Rockies in the NLCS.
Hernandez is 134-128 lifetime with a 4.25 ERA. He also is a career .232 hitter, but will hit rarely -- if ever -- in the AL.
advertisement
