Strikeout machine Hernández adds new layer to Braves' bullpen

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As some wonder if the Braves should acquire a reliever before the Trade Deadline, Daysbel Hernández has arrived to prove he can be a key piece within what could soon become a crowded bullpen.

A little more than half a decade after defecting from Cuba, Hernández can now proudly call himself a Major Leaguer. The 26-year-old was called up to join Atlanta’s bullpen on Sunday, and he immediately made a good impression. Hernández tossed a scoreless seventh inning in his MLB debut and earned his first win when the Braves staged an eighth-inning comeback over the Brewers.

The right-hander struck out three of the four Brewers he faced, and he has now struck out 20 of the 27 batters he has faced for Double-A Mississippi, Triple-A Gwinnett and Atlanta going back to June 30.

Hernández put himself on the big league coaching staff’s radar when he made six appearances as a non-roster Spring Training invitee in 2021. But he underwent Tommy John surgery after being given a heavy workload during the 2021-22 Mexican Winter League. So, his journey to the Majors was halted.

“I loved the arm,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said, remembering Spring Training 2021. “I was thinking, that was a good find.”

The Braves found Hernández during a tryout in Miami and assigned him to what was then Single-A Rome in June of 2018. He showed encouraging signs at High-A Florida the next year, but then he didn’t pitch when COVID-19 erased the '20 Minor League season. As Hernández pitched during Spring Training in '21, Braves veteran coach Eddie Perez told Snitker the hurler would reach the Majors that year.

Hernández reached the Triple-A level in 2021, but he continued to battle a high walk rate. Now, he seems to have put it all together. Hernández has tallied 17 strikeouts, issued two walks and allowed just two hits while holding opponents scoreless over his past 6 2/3 innings.

When Hernández signed with the Braves, he had an overpowering fastball and a below-average slider. That slider is now a legitimate putaway pitch.

If Hernández extends his recent success, he may become another high-leverage option within Atlanta’s bullpen. The current high-leverage options are closer Raisel Iglesias, Kirby Yates and Joe Jiménez. A.J. Minter will return to this mix when he is activated from the injured list, possibly as early as this week.

Dylan Lee could also be activated from the injured list within the next couple weeks.

Moreover, the Braves added to their bullpen depth by acquiring righty Pierce Johnson from the Rockies and lefty Taylor Hearn from the Rangers on Monday. Johnson’s stats haven’t been great this year, but his success away from Coors Field creates hope he could get back to being an effective swing-and-miss option, like he was with the Padres during the 2020 and '21 seasons.

Hearn has some potential, but his best asset might be the fact that he has options.

At some point in early August, the Braves’ bullpen could be Iglesias, Minter, Jimenez, Yates, Lee, Hernández, Johnson and Collin McHugh. This list doesn’t include Michael Tonkin or Ben Heller. Heller has an option remaining, but Tonkin doesn’t.

The Braves also have to account for Jesse Chavez and Nick Anderson, who are on the 60-day injured list and might not be considered as options before rosters expand in September.

Every contender could seemingly benefit from adding a reliever before the Trade Deadline on an annual basis. So, you could argue strengthening the bullpen is Atlanta’s biggest need. Or you could argue, they have enough bullpen depth to possibly use one of these relievers to help land an experienced starter.

Lance Lynn and Michael Lorenzen are among the starting pitchers who have been mentioned as possible fits for the Braves.