Hernandez (COVID-19 injured list) covered 2.1 innings in a simulated game Sunday at the Red Sox's alternate training site in Pawtucket, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though Hernandez is expected to initially work in long relief when he's reinstated from the IL, the Red Sox have been having him pitch once every five days in Pawtucket to prepare for an eventual move into the rotation. Hernandez's erratic control and lack of a deep arsenal probably makes him a better fit as a closer or multi-inning stopper out of the bullpen in the long run, but the 23-year-old lefty would still qualify as a higher-upside alternative than most of the unproven back-end starters the Red Sox have been cycling in and out of the rotation this season. He'll be one of the few Boston pitchers worth keeping an eye on when the team activates him.