Royals Predicted To Cut Ties With 28-Year-Old Flamethrower After Dismal Spring

Hard to argue the case that this righty should be in the Royals' bullpen

Kansas City Royals pitcher Carlos Hernandez (43) delivers the pitch in the ninth inning of the MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

As final roster decisions loom, things are looking bleak for a reliever who was once thought to be a big part of the Kansas City Royals' future.

Carlos Hernández regularly tops 100 miles per hour with his fastball, and has had moments of brilliance in the majors. But he couldn't carve out a full-time role for himself in 2024, earning himself a demotion to the minors, and that means he's officially on his last legs in the organization.

If Hernández doesn't make the Opening Day roster, he'll have to be waived, meaning any other team will have an opportunity to claim him. And he hasn't made a strong case to make that roster so far.

With a 6.97 spring ERA (eight earned runs in 10 1/3 innings) and two home runs allowed, Hernández may well have sealed his fate. But until the organization makes a final call, he's still in contention for one of the eight spots in the Kansas City bullpen.

On Thursday, Craig Brown of Into the Fountains predicted that Hernández would miss out on the Opening Day roster, exposing him to waivers and potentially ending his time in Kansas City altogether.

"Hernández is out of options, so the guess here is the Royals will keep him until the absolute last minute and then try to pass him through waivers to get him to the minors," Brown wrote.

"That means Chris Stratton makes the club. What’s the difference between Stratton and Hernández? About $3.3 million. It’s cynical, but it’s the way the game works. The Royals are on the hook for $4.5 million for Stratton this season."

In five seasons with the Royals, Hernández has a 4.95 ERA in 256 1/3 innings pitched, striking out 226 and walking 125. As is the case with many hard throwers, he's just never been able to reign in his stuff enough to keep from issuing free passes.

Any day now, Hernández will learn his fate. It's a decision where money, stuff, and past performance all have to be taken into account.

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