Marlins' Heriberto Hernandez: Playing-time outlook improving
Rotowire
Hernandez is likely to see extra playing time in left field due to Kyle Stowers (hamstring) being set to begin the season on the IL, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.
Hernandez was initially see more time at DH while providing a platoon partner for Stowers in left field and Owen Caissie in right, but he now might need his glove more often. Griffin Conine will also have a big role in the LF/DH mix with Hernandez, while Connor Norby could also get some starts in left if he shows he's up to the task defensively. Hernandez is batting .226 (7-for-31) in 13 Grapefruit League games with three homers, four steals and a 6:9 BB:K.
Hernandez went 1-for-2 with a walk, a solo home run and a stolen base in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.
The 26-year-old outfielder is having an impressive start to his spring, going 4-for-14 (.286) with a double, two homers and three steals in three attempts. Hernandez likely won't keep up that kind of success on the basepaths in the regular season -- his career high in stolen bases is eight, set at Double-A in 2023 -- but he could be productive at the plate if he gets consistent playing time in 2026. As a rookie last year, he slashed .266/.347/.438 with 10 home runs in 87 games.
Hernandez is not in the lineup for Thursday's game in Philadelphia.
It's a routine day off for Hernandez, who had started each of the previous five contests. Agustin Ramirez will serve as the Marlins' designated hitter and Liam Hicks will do the catching Thursday.
... See More... See Less
Marlins' Heriberto Hernandez: Not starting Game 1
Rotowire
Hernandez isn't in the lineup for the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against Atlanta.
After going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and an additional run scored in Friday's win, Hernandez will step out of the starting nine for the first half of Saturday's twin bill. His absence will create an opening in the lineup for Dane Myers to start in left field while batting sixth.
... See More... See Less
Marlins' Heriberto Hernandez: Homers again, extends power surge
Rotowire
Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and an additional run scored in Friday's 5-1 win against Atlanta.
Hernandez continued his recent power surge Friday, turning a 91 mph sinker from Bryce Elder into a 404-foot homer. The long ball was his seventh of the year and fourth in his last 10 games. During that stretch, the 25-year-old is hitting .273 (9-for-33) with nine RBI and eight runs scored, providing a spark for this Miami offense.
... See More... See Less
Marlins' Heriberto Hernandez: Goes yard against Astros
Rotowire
Hernandez went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run and two RBI in Wednesday's win over Houston.
The 25-year-old took Spencer Arrighetti deep in the third inning, staking the Marlins to an early 5-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish. Hernandez has six homers in his first 42 big-league games, and three of them have come since July 26, a stretch in which he's batting .250 (7-for-28) with six runs and seven RBI.
... See More... See Less
Marlins' Heriberto Hernandez: Homers in loss
Rotowire
Hernandez went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Brewers.
Hernandez provided the Marlins' lone run with a solo blast in the fifth inning while collecting two of the team's three hits. While the 25-year-old remains in a part-time role, he's slashing an impressive .328/.371/.531 with three home runs, 10 RBI and 10 runs scored across his first 70 major-league plate appearances.
... See More... See Less
Marlins' Heriberto Hernandez: Three hits in Sunday's loss
Rotowire
Hernandez went 3-for-3 with a run scored in Sunday's loss to the Rays.
Getting the start at DH and batting eighth, Hernandez produced the first three-hit performance of his brief MLB career. The 25-year-old has gone 6-for-11 over the last four games with two RBI and only one strikeout, but he's still looking for his first big-league extra-base hit. Hernandez's last two starts have come against right-handed pitching, a good sign for his chances of sticking around on the roster, but his playing time will likely decline once Kyle Stowers (hand) get healthy.
... See More... See Less
Rays' Heriberto Hernandez: Laying waste to Double-A
Rotowire
Hernandez is slashing .288/.398/.621 with five home runs in 20 games for Double-A Montgomery.
Hernandez has an elite 38.1 percent hard-hit rate to go with an improved 24.1 percent strikeout rate -- he struck out 28 percent of the time in 118 games at Double-A last year. Since Hernandez is limited to left field and designated hitter, he needs to be very productive at the plate. It's a strong start to his age-24 campaign, but given Hernandez's age and the fact he is repeating the level, it would be nice to see how he stacks up against Triple-A pitching later this season.
