Hernandez is considered a long-term stater in the organization, but the Red Sox are sticking to their plan of having him throw out of the bullpen in 2020, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Red Sox's plan for Hernandez, a starter in the minors, prior to the start of training camp was to have him pitch as a reliever in 2020. That way, he would gain experience against major-league hitters this season ahead of a planned return to a starting role in 2021. However, Chris Sale's elbow injury may eventually cause the organization to reconsider. Boston already had one available rotation spot prior to Sale's injury, forcing it to fill a second spot. The Sox have non-Hernandez depth options on hand -- Brian Johnson, Ryan Weber, Matt Hall, Chris Mazza and Jeffrey Springs -- none of whom have the potential of Hernandez.