Hernandez (elbow) was activated off the 60-day injured list Saturday.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez is finally ready to go after making his way back from Tommy John surgery, a procedure he underwent in April of 2021. He made 16 rehab appearances, posting a solid 3.60 ERA but a worryingly high 19.7 percent walk rate. Prior to his long absence, Hernandez looked like a potential closer for the Rangers. The team is currently using a closer committee, so Hernandez could get the chance to stake his claim for the role at some point, but he may need some lower-leverage outings first to prove that the control issues he showed in the minors were merely temporary.

The Rangers transferred Hernandez's (elbow) rehab assignment from Triple-A Round Rock to Double-A Frisco on Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

According to Levi Weaver of The Athletic, the Rangers were granted a 10-day extension for Hernandez's assignment, which initially began June 3 with Round Rock. The 26-year-old is working his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last April and has looked sharp of late after a somewhat rocky start to his rehab assignment. Over his last 11 outings with Round Rock, Hernandez has struck out 12 over 10.1 innings while allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits and seven walks. Hernandez could handle a high-leverage role out of the Texas bullpen when he's likely activated from the 60-day injured list coming out of the All-Star break.

Hernandez (elbow) walked two and struck out one over two-thirds of a scoreless inning for Triple-A Round Rock on Friday.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez kicked off a rehab assignment with the Express, his first game action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2021. The right-hander had been a starter in the minors but served as high-leverage reliever for the Rangers prior to his injury. It's not yet clear now many rehab appearances he'll need before he's ready to be activated from the 60-day injured list.

Hernandez (elbow) was sent to Triple-A Round Rock on Friday for a rehab assignment.

EDGE Analysis

He underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2021 and is now almost 14 months removed from the procedure. The rehab assignment will likely be lengthy, but once healthy, Hernandez should join the big-league bullpen.

Hernandez (elbow) tossed a scoreless inning Tuesday in his appearance at an extended spring training game, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Fellow rehabbing reliever Jose Leclerc (elbow) also made an appearance Tuesday, but he's already been pitching in games for about a week and should be ready to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment as soon as next week. Hernandez doesn't look to be too far behind Leclerc, with both tracking toward returns from the 60-day injured list at some point in June. With Joe Barlow having thus far converted all seven of his save chances, Hernandez isn't likely to challenge for the closing role once activated, but he could fill a key late-inning role for Texas.

Hernandez (elbow) is trending toward a return in mid-to-late June, Chris Halicke of SI.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez was thought to have a chance to close last season before a preseason elbow injury wound up requiring Tommy John surgery in April. He's said to be slightly behind teammate Jose Leclerc, who underwent the same procedure in late March. Either pitcher could push for the closer role in the second half, as presumptive favorite Joe Barlow is hardly an inner-circle option for the spot, though that would require them pitching at close to full strength immediately after returning to action.

Hernandez (elbow) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Along with Hernandez, fellow rehabbing reliever Jose Leclerc (elbow) also threw a side session as the two work their way back from the Tommy John surgeries they underwent last spring. As relievers, Hernandez and Leclerc should both have slightly shorter recovery timelines than a starting pitcher rehabbing from Tommy John, but the two are still likely to open the campaign on the 60-day injured list.

Hernandez underwent Tommy John surgery Monday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez was seen as one of the favorites to close for the Rangers this season before spraining his UCL in early March. The issue hasn't progressed as the team hoped, so he'll now miss the entirety of this season as well as roughly half of the 2022 campaign. With several other injuries striking the Rangers' bullpen, veteran Ian Kennedy has picked up the team's two saves thus far.

Hernandez (elbow) landed on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez looked to have a chance to close games this season before being diagnosed with a UCL sprain in early March. His return timeline remains unclear, but the transaction means he'll be out until the end of May at the earliest. There's still a chance he picks up saves in the back half of the season with Jose Leclerc ruled out for more than a year due to Tommy John surgery, but he'll have to prove his health and effectiveness before re-entering that conversation.

Hernandez was diagnosed with a low-grade UCL sprain Tuesday and won't throw for at least four weeks, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hernandez isn't currently expected to require surgery, but he'll likely miss a meaningful portion of the regular season. He won't throw until early April at the earliest and will need several weeks to build his arm back up once he's cleared to do so, making late May the most realistic target date for Hernandez to make his 2021 debut. That's bad news for the Rangers, as Hernandez was expected to be at minimum a high-leverage reliever, and at best, the team's top candidate to close games. Jose Leclerc now seems to have a clearer path to reclaiming that role after he missed most of last season due to shoulder issues.