Jonathan Hern¨˘ndezˇhe and his wife, the former Danilca Cruz, were married on 12/27/18 and have two daughters, Esther Noemi (5/27/14) and Juliette Marie (2/7/23)ˇhas made donations to the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundationˇfather, Fernando, pitched professionally for 14 seasons and appeared in two games with the Detroit Tigers in 1997ˇfather also spent two seasons in Korea, winning 14 games with the SK Wyverns in 2001ˇwas born in Memphis, Tenn., while his father pitched for the Double-A Memphis Chicks in the Padres farm system, but grew up in the Dominican Republicˇfavorite career memory is having his father witness his ML debut on 8/21/19 vs. LAAˇenjoys vacationing in Puerto Rico and Mexicoˇlikes to play Madden NFL and MLB The Show video games in his free time.
2023
Went 1-2, 5.40 ERA (19 ER/31.2 IP) with career-high 34 SO in 33 relief appearances spanning three stints with Texas (Opening Day-6/4, 8/26-27, 9/13-end of season)ˇsported a 1.80 ERA (2 ER/10.0 IP) over his first 10 appearances of the season, but permitted runs in six of next 15 G (10.80 ERA) to raise season ERA to 6.65ˇwas optioned to Round Rock on 6/5ˇrecalled to TEX on 8/26 and took loss in teamˇŻs 13-inning walk-off defeat on 8/27 at MIN (L, 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R-0 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO)ˇwas optioned again on 8/28 before recall on 9/13 for season-ending stint, over which he registered a 2.89 ERA (3 ER/9.1 IP), including scoreless outings in six of his seven appearances in span, to lower season ERA from 6.45 to 5.40ˇdid not see any postseason action due to strained right lat muscle sustained late in regular seasonˇwent 0-for-4 in save chances, but his 10 holds were third-most on club to Josh Sborz (14) and Brock Burke (12)...allowed 10 of 23 (43.5%) of inherited runners to scoreˇopponents batted .280/.370/.432/.802 (35-125) against him, including opp. BAˇŻs of .196 (9-46) vs. left-handed batters and .329 (26-79) vs. right-handed battersˇimproved strikeouts-per-9.0 figure from 8.01 (2022) to 9.66 (2023), but allowed career-high four HRˇearned lone win despite blown save on 5/14 at OAK (W, BS, 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R-ER, 1 SO, 1 HR)ˇwas on mound for three of TexasˇŻ 10 walk-off defeats in 2023 (4/26 at CIN, 8/27 at MIN, 9/28 at SEA)ˇspent the balance of the season at Round Rock (AAA), posting a 1-1 record, two saves, a 1.13 ERA (4 ER/32.0 IP), and 21 walks/32 strikeouts across 24 games for the Express.
2022
In his return from ˇ®Tommy JohnˇŻ surgery, joined bullpen in mid-July and posted 2-3 record, four saves and 2.97 ERA (10 ER/30.1 IP) in 29 Gˇallowed earned runs in just one of 17 G from 8/13-9/29, including span of 10 G/11.0 IP without allowing an ER (1 R-0 ER) from 9/4-29ˇhis 24 app. from 8/1-end of season ranked as 3rd-most on staffˇaveraged 98.0 mph with his sinker, the highest avg. velocity on TexasˇŻ staff and in 97th percentile in MLB (Statcast)ˇhis SO/9 (8.01) and BB/9 (5.04) were both significant departures from his career averages entering the season, a product of his time missed following surgeryˇconverted each of first four save tries from 7/31-8/15, but took blown save/losses in each of final two chances: 9/1 at BOS and 10/1 at LAAˇin the loss at Fenway, permitted four runs while recording one out in the 9th after entering with an 8-5 leadˇ season debut on 7/16 vs. SEA was 1st MLB outing since 9/27/20 vs. HOU (657 days)...REHAB: On 60-day IL from Opening Day-7/15 as he returned from 4/12/21 ˇ®Tommy JohnˇŻ ligament replacement surgery on his right elbowˇcombined to go 0-2, 3.60 (6 ER/15.0 IP) w/ 13 BB/16 SO over 16 relief app. on injury rehab assignment with Round Rock (AAA) and Frisco (AA) from 6/3-7/13.
2021
Spent the entire year on the 60-day IL, as he had Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow performed by Rangers Team Physician Dr. Keith Meister on 4/12/21ˇis expected to be out through the beginning of the 2022 seasonˇfelt discomfort after live BP session on 3/6/21 at Nolan Ryan Field in Surpriseˇwas shut down for four weeks, but opted for surgery after still having discomfort.
2020
Compiled a 1.032 WHIP figure and held opponents to .218/.290/.327/.618 slash line with just 2 HR allowed over 27 relief appearances...from 8/2-9/1, Hern¨˘ndez allowed runs in just 2 of 14 outings, going 4-0 with a 1.04 ERA (2 ER/17.1 IP) in that span along with just 3 BB and 19 SOˇ recorded team-high 5 holds and has still yet to have a save opportunity in his ML career...had 5 games finished...allowed 3 of 10 inherited runners to score...while his 9.00 SO/9 was lower than 2019 (10.26), saw a big improvement in SO/BB (3.88 in 2020 vs. 1.46 in 2019)ˇfirst batters faced went just 3-for-26 (.115) with 1 BB/8 SO...RH batters were 1-for29 start to the year, then went 12-for-36 (.333) the rest of the wayˇall outings had come in 7th inning or later before working 6th inning of 7-inning game 9/12 vs. OAK-G1... season-high 2.0 IP on both 8/2 at SF and 9/1 at HOU...held opponents homerless in 10 G/13.2 IP on the roadˇentered the year as the RangersˇŻ 13th-best (MLB.com) and 17th-best (Baseball America) prospect, and was also rated by Baseball America as having the organizationˇŻs Best Slider.
2019
The 23-year-old Hernández reached the Major Leagues for the first time in 2019, his seventh professional season…has worked primarily as a starter throughout his career, but switched to a relief role late last season with Double-A Frisco and also worked out of the bullpen upon his promotion to the big leagues…ranked T4th on Texas pitching staff with 19 strikeouts from 8/21 (ML Debut) through the end of the regular season, averaging 10.26 strikeouts per 9 innings (19 SO/16.2 IP) during that span…enters 2020 as club's 13th-best (MLB.com) and 17th-best prospect (Baseball America), and maintains his rookie status…owns a career 37-39 record, 3.80 ERA, and 1.320 WHIP figure over 129 games/113 starts in the minor leagues…is in big league camp for the third straight year...was signed out of the Dominican Republic at age 16 on 1/30/13.
2018
Established career highs in innings and strikeouts in his 6th professional season...his 134 SO ranked 2nd among Texas farmhands (138-A.J. Alexy)...named CL Pitcher of the Week for 5/28-6/3 following shutout performance on 5/30 vs. Buies Creek (8.0 SHO IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 11 SO)... recorded double-digit SO in 3 straight starts from 5/16-30, posting a 0.90 ERA (2 ER/20.0 IP) with 4 BB/32 SO in that span...earned promotion to Frisco on 6/11...went 2-4 with a 7.14 ERA (32 ER/40.1 IP) in 1st 8 G/GS with Frisco and went 2-0 with a 1.14 ERA (3 ER/23.2 IP) over final 4 G/GS...opponents batted .167/.270/.244/.513 over the latter stretch...increased whiff rate (9.9 SO/9) by a full strikeout from the previous campaign (8.9 SO/9 in '17)...rated by Baseball America as having CL's best breaking pitch and was named the publication's High Class A Pitcher of the Year.
2017
Combined to go 5-11 with a 4.03 ERA (50 ER/111.2 IP) over 23 games/22 starts with Hickory (A) and Down East (A+)…posted a career-best 8.9 SO/9 rate, besting his previous season total by over 2 strikeouts…opponents batted .285/.351/.415/.766…began season in Hickory and went 2-3 with a 2.80 ERA (11 ER/35.1 IP) over his 1st 7 starts with the club…permitted 14 R-ER over 11.0 IP in last 2 starts at Hickory before promotion to Down East on 6/3…compiled a 6.00 ERA (16 ER/24.0 IP) over 1st 5 starts with the Woodies and a 1.96 figure (9 ER/41.1 IP) over final 9 games/8 starts…opposition batted .208/.318/.306/.623 during season-ending stretch… represented the Rangers at the All-Star Futures Game in Miami and retired the only batter he faced (COL's Ryan McMahon) in the 8th inning.
2016
Logged a team-high 22 starts for Hickory, finishing T3rd among Texas farmhands in wins…right-handed batters hit .271/.358/.416 and lefties batted .227/.300/.381…was 6-3, 2.59 (19 ER/66.0 IP) over 13 games/12 starts in Hickory and 4-6, 7.15 (40 ER/50.1 IP) in 11 games/10 starts on the road… was 6-5, 3.88 (26 ER/60.1 IP) in 12 first half starts and 4-4, 5.30 (33 ER/56.0 IP) over 12 games/10 starts in the second half…was 2-1 with a 3.14 ERA (10 ER/28.2 IP) over his final 6 starts.
2015
Tabbed the 14th-best prospect in the AZL by Baseball America…posted the 3rd-lowest ERA among all Texas minor leaguers.
2014
Returned to DSL Rangers and matched Pedro Payano for the team lead with 14 starts.
2013
Spent 1st pro season with DSL Rangers.
