Jonathan Hernández is officially a Dodger again. Los Angeles signed the veteran right-hander on August 13 after he cleared outright waivers and elected free agency, just two days after getting designated for assignment. It's the kind of transaction move that only makes sense once you realize this is the third separate time Hernández has worn a Dodgers uniform since May.
None of this is happening in a vacuum. The Dodgers' pitching staff has been getting hit from every direction in 2026 — Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow have both spent stretches on the 60-day IL, Edwin Díaz only just got activated off the 60-day list in late July, and now Brock Stewart and Blake Treinen are both dealing with their own arm issues. When a rotation and bullpen bleed that much depth, you start calling up guys you've already DFA'd once before.
Hernández's path here has been a grind. He spent parts of 5 seasons with the Rangers before bouncing through the minor league systems of Seattle, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, with his last real big league work coming in 3 appearances for the Mariners back in August 2024. His overall 2026 line with the Dodgers organization sits at a rough 6.45 ERA over 22 1/3 innings, with shaky strikeout and walk numbers to match.
But the reason LA keeps bringing him back is the flashes — in his most recent week-long stint with the big club, Hernández reeled off 4 2/3 scoreless innings out of the pen. For a team desperate for any reliable arm while it waits on Snell, Glasnow and the rest of the injured list to heal up, that's enough to earn another look.
To make room, the Dodgers optioned reliever Landon Knack to Triple-A Oklahoma City, and left-hander Charlie Barnes — called up earlier in the week but never used — was outrighted off the roster. Because Hernández is out of minor league options, LA had to route him through waivers instead of just optioning him down, which is why the DFA-to-re-sign turnaround happened so fast.
None of this is a marquee move, but it says a lot about where the Dodgers are right now: churning through bullpen arms and hoping someone sticks long enough to matter once the rotation gets whole again.