David Stearns has never seemed shy about chasing a certain kind of free agent: the pitcher who goes overseas, finds something new, and comes back looking like a different arm. Darwinzon Hernandez fits that mold, and he may be the next name to surface as a possible Mets target.
Hernandez is reportedly eyeing a return to the majors after a strong run in Japan. The left-hander turns 30 in December and has not pitched in American affiliated ball since 2023, when he appeared with the Baltimore Orioles.
Before that, he spent parts of his career with the Boston Red Sox, where he worked in 91 games and posted a 5.06 ERA. The biggest issue in that stretch was command, with a 7.7 BB/9 rate.
That problem looked a lot different in Japan. Hernandez put up a 1.48 ERA there this past year, along with 3.4 BB/9 and 11 K/9. Across 131.2 innings in NPB, he has been excellent overall, recording a 2.48 ERA with 2.9 BB/9 and 11.5 K/9.
The Mets’ interest would make sense on several levels. They need a left-handed reliever, but they also would not want to box themselves into a deal that keeps them from going after a bigger name later.
Hernandez still has one minor league option left, which adds to the appeal if he returns on a major league contract. That situation is similar to Jared Young and Brandon Waddell before the 2025 season, when both came back from the KBO and landed major league deals.
After the long look the Mets gave Jefry Yan, there is not much reason for them to avoid this type of move beyond the possibility that Hernandez asks for a little more money. Players coming back from overseas with success usually do not get paid like a typical free agent with those numbers, and incentives often play a big role in deals, especially when the contract runs longer than one year.
The market for Hernandez should be broad, but the price tag should still leave room for other business. Foster Griffin signed for $5.5 million last offseason as a left-handed starter after posting a 2.57 ERA in Japan. Hernandez, by comparison, is probably looking at no more than $2.5 million, and that may even be generous.
The reason he is drawing attention is simple: the control issues that once held him back were addressed overseas. If that version of Hernandez is real, the Mets look like a team that should be watching closely.
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