Dodgers acquire righty Hernandez from Phillies

The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired right-hander Roberto Hernandez from the Philadelphia Phillies, the Phillies announced on Thursday. In return, the Phillies will get to pick two players to be named later or cash. They will pick from a group of "lower-level minor leaguers" for their return, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com and Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reported. The Phillies placed Hernandez on waivers this past Saturday and he did clear. 

Hernandez, formerly known as Fausto Carmona, signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Phillies this past season, and has exceeded any expectations coming into the season. In 23 games (20 starts), Hernandez has posted a 6-8 record with a 3.87 ERA, 4.62 FIP, and a 1.347 WHIP. He has tossed 121 innings, and owns a 75 to 55 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has a 96 ERA+ on the year. 

The Dodgers may be getting the Dominican Republic native at the right time. Over Hernandez's past seven starts, the former All-Star owns a 2.85 ERA and has held hitters to just a .194 batting average, along with a .537 OPS. He is coming off arguably his best start of the season, when he held the Washington Nationals to just one unearned run and only five hits over eight innings. 

Hernandez said that he will be starting for the Dodgers tomorrow in Milwaukee, taking Josh Beckett's scheduled start. His overall place with the team, however, is yet to be known, as the Dodgers have a formidable rotation to say the least, with Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu leading the pack. Beckett has struggled since coming of the disabled list with a hip injury. Hernandez could always be a long-man in the Dodgers bullpen as well, making a spot start every once in awhile. 

Considering the fact that Hernandez is only signed through this season, his contract was relatively easy to move. However, this may be just the beginning of the Phillies August fire sale, as Cole Hamels, Marlon Byrd, and Antonio Bastardo all could be prime candidates to be moved this month. 

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