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Jonathan Hernández has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City after clearing waivers, electing to remain in the Dodgers organization rather than become a free agent, per DodgerBlue.com. Hernández was designated for assignment at the end of June and had the right to refuse the minor league assignment and walk — but he’s chosen to stay put.

Hernández, a right-handed reliever, came to the Dodgers with a résumé that once looked quite promising. He broke into the majors with the Texas Rangers in 2019 and showed real arm talent early — a mid-to-upper-90s fastball with sink and a wipeout slider that made him a legitimate late-inning option. He pitched well in his first taste of big league action and looked like a building block for Texas’s bullpen. Then Tommy John surgery wiped out the better part of two seasons, and the recovery road was bumpy. He eventually landed with the Dodgers looking for a fresh start, but his command and consistency never fully returned to pre-surgery levels, and the results at the major league level this year weren’t enough to hold a roster spot.

Getting DFA’d is never a pleasant experience, but Hernández’s decision to accept the assignment rather than test the open market tells you something. He clearly believes there’s still a path back to the big leagues through this organization. At 28, he’s not ancient — there’s still time to recapture the stuff that made him effective earlier in his career. Triple-A Oklahoma City gives him a place to work on mechanics, get regular innings, and potentially force his way back onto the radar if someone in the Dodgers bullpen goes down or falters.

From the Dodgers’ side, keeping Hernández in the system is a low-risk, moderate-upside play. You’re not on the hook for a 40-man roster spot, and you retain a pitcher with legitimate major league experience and the kind of raw stuff that, when it clicks, plays at the highest level. The bullpen has had its share of shuffling this season — we’ve seen multiple arms move between Los Angeles and OKC — so organizational depth matters. Hernández is exactly the type of arm you want stashed in Triple-A as insurance.

I wouldn’t expect this to move the needle much in the short term. But if Hernández can get right — tighten up his command and regain confidence in his secondaries — he could be a useful piece for us down the stretch. The fact that he chose to stay rather than walk says he sees the same thing. Sometimes, a trip through Triple-A is exactly what a pitcher needs to reset. We’ll see if Hernández can take advantage of the opportunity.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: July 6, 2026 7:08 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers