Stewart Activated Off IL, Hernández DFA’d for Third Time This Season
Last updated: August 19, 2026 9:46 PM UTC
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CONFIRMEDThe Dodgers activated Brock Stewart off the 15-day injured list and designated Jonathan Hernández for assignment ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies, per Dodger Blue staff. This is the third time this season Hernández has been DFA’d by the club — the first came at the end of June, and it happened again on August 10.
Stewart’s return gives the pitching staff a boost it badly needs right now. He’s been a useful piece for this team when healthy, offering versatility out of the bullpen. The fact that he’s coming off the 15-day IL means whatever kept him sidelined wasn’t a long-term concern, and getting him back into game action should help stabilize a relief corps that’s been juggling bodies all month. Stewart has experience pitching in high-leverage situations and his ability to eat innings in relief — or serve as a bridge to the back end — makes him a welcome addition back to the active roster.
Hernández, meanwhile, finds himself in an increasingly familiar and uncomfortable spot. Three DFAs in a single season tells you everything you need to know about where things stand. The right-hander has struggled to establish any consistency this year, and each time the Dodgers have brought him back, it hasn’t stuck. At some point, the organization has to move on — and this might be that point. Getting DFA’d once can be a rough patch. Twice raises eyebrows. Three times in less than two months signals that the fit just isn’t working, regardless of the stuff he brings to the mound.
From a roster management perspective, this is a straightforward swap. The Dodgers needed a spot for Stewart, and Hernández was the odd man out — again. With Edwin Díaz heading back to the IL and Tanner Scott stepping back into the closer role, the bullpen has been in flux. Stewart sliding back in provides one fewer question mark, even if the overall relief picture still has some uncertainty to it.
I think the bigger takeaway here is how thin the margins are in that bullpen right now. The Dodgers are cycling through arms, and every healthy body matters down the stretch. Stewart doesn’t need to be dominant — he just needs to be available and competent, and that alone is valuable at this point in the season. As for Hernández, it’s hard to see a path back to this roster. Three chances is more than most guys get. The Dodgers clearly wanted it to work, but the results haven’t been there.
We’re in the phase of the season where roster flexibility is everything. The Dodgers are making the moves they need to make, even if they aren’t glamorous. Getting Stewart back is a quiet win. Letting Hernández go — for good this time, most likely — is just the cost of doing business when you’re trying to build a bullpen that can hold up in October.
Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: August 19, 2026 9:46 PM UTC
God Bless and Go Dodgers
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