Former Red Sox player who excelled in Japan sounds like a NY Mets target

There are a few check boxes David Stearns can never seem to resist with a free agent. Guys who reinvented themselves overseas with big strikeout numbers are catnip to him. A player fitting this description might just be the next New York Mets free agent target we didn’t expect to see.

Darwinzon Hernandez is apparently looking to return stateside after success in Japan. The lefty hurler turns 30 in December and is already several years removed from pitching in American affiliated ball. The last time he did was in 2023 with the Baltimore Orioles. Prior to that, he managed 91 games with the Boston Red Sox with a 5.06 ERA and worst of all, a 7.7 BB/9 rate.

Somebody hit Hernandez with a magic touch. He had a 1.48 ERA in Japan this past year with 3.4 BB/9 and 11 K/9. He has been excellent in the NPB, pitching to a 2.48 ERA through 131.2 innings while averaging 2.9 BB/9 and 11.5 K/9.

Darwinzon Hernandez looks like the next reinvented overseas player for the Mets to target

Hernandez never had all of his minor league options used up, carrying one more with him if he does land back in the US with a major league contract. The situation is similar to Jared Young and Brandon Waddell prior to the 2025 season. Young had two option years left with Waddell matching Hernandez’s one. Both of them received major league deals after returning from the KBO.

This helps Hernandez make even more sense for the Mets. They need a lefty reliever but also wouldn’t want to commit to someone like this on a deal where he wouldn’t give them the opportunity to aim higher. After the lengthy trials of Jefry Yan, they don’t really have enough of a reason not to go after Hernandez other than he could be asking for slightly more money.

Players returning from overseas after some success don’t get paid like your typical free agent with those same numbers. Incentives can be a big part of deals, especially if they span more than one year.

Hernandez’s market should be vast, but the contract offers won’t be any sort of hindrance on other moves. Foster Griffin signed for $5.5 million last offseason as a left-handed starter. He had a 2.57 ERA in Japan. Hernandez is looking at $2.5 million at the most and that’s being generous, adjusting for inflation, and carrying an 8 instead of a 1.

Control issues forced Hernandez to rework himself overseas. Having bettered that aspect of his game, the Mets are a team who should be lurking, contemplating, and scouting whether those same improvements can swing back this way.

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