Blue Jays sign Elieser Hernández to minor-league deal
Photo credit: © Rich Storry-Imagn Images
Aug 23, 2025, 09:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 23, 2025, 02:50 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays have signed a pitcher with big league experience for the stretch run.
On Friday afternoon, numerous sources reported that the Blue Jays have signed Elieser Hernández to a minor league deal and assigned him to the Florida Complex League.
Hernández, 30, signed with the Houston Astros during the 2012 International Free Agency, but was selected by the Miami Marlins in the Rule 5 draft in 2017. Making his debut with the Marlins in 2018, he posted a 5.21 ERA and 5.29 FIP in 65.2 innings pitched, making six starts in 20 appearances. The following season, Hernández made 15 starts in 21 appearances, posting a 5.03 ERA and 5.58 FIP in 82.1 innings pitched.
Hernández’s best season of his big league career came in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, where he made six starts and authored a 3.16 ERA and 3.89 FIP in 25.2 innings pitched, with a 32.1 K% and 4.7 BB%. He was solid in 2024, posting a 4.18 ERA and a 5.38 FIP in 51.2 innings pitched in 11 starts.
During the 2022-23 off-season, Hernández was traded to the New York Mets, spending the season in the organization, but he didn’t pitch in the big leagues. His 2024 season was split between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers, where he had a 6.32 ERA and 7.25 FIP in 15.2 innings pitched. After he was designated for assignment, he signed with the LG Twins of the KBO League.
To finish the 2024 season, Hernández posted a 4.02 ERA and 3.94 FIP in 47 innings pitched, making nine starts in 11 appearances, while his K% jumped to 28.2%. He didn’t find the same success with the LG Twins in 2025, authoring a 4.23 ERA and 3.85 FIP in 66 innings pitched, starting all 14 games he appeared in. Hernández also struck out 26.4% of the batters he faced.
Last season, Hernández’s fastball sat a tick under 92 mph, while also featuring a cutter, changeup, sinker, and slider. It’s unlikely he’ll find his way to the Blue Jays this season, but it’s never a bad thing to have depth, just in case.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.