Former KC Royals flamethrower DFA’d by NL contender in another 2025 shakeup

One of the Kansas City Royals’ most pleasant surprises in 2025 has been the strength of their bullpen. Despite lengthy absences from key arms like Hunter Harvey and Lucas Erceg, the relief corps has posted a solid 3.55 ERA across 220 1/3 innings.

Whether it’s big-ticket offseason addition Carlos Estévez or the steady return of journeyman Taylor Clarke, multiple relievers have stepped up for manager Matt Quatraro. But it’s worth remembering that before the season—when the bullpen outlook was far murkier—the Royals parted ways with former closer candidate Carlos Hernández. Now, less than three months later, his new team has done the same.

The Philadelphia Phillies announced Wednesday morning that they'd designated Carlos Hernández for assignment, clearing space on the 26-man roster for right-handed pitcher Michael Mercado.

A former KC Royals pitcher is back on the market once again in 2025.

This marks the second time Carlos Hernández has been designated for assignment in 2025, following the Royals' decision to cut ties with him ahead of Opening Day.

The right-hander saw plenty of action with the Phillies, logging 25 appearances and 25.2 innings across 67 team games. However, stability remained elusive, with his 5.26 ERA and 1.75 WHIP and ongoing struggles with command and consistency. Even his latest seven-game stretch, during which he notched a win and posted a 3.52 ERA, wasn’t enough to secure his spot. Ultimately, Philadelphia opted to step off the rollercoaster that is the Hernández experience.

Royals fans are all too familiar with the Hernández rollercoaster, which is exactly why he didn’t crack Kansas City’s Opening Day roster in 2025. His 3.30 ERA and 3.50 FIP in 2024 may have painted the picture of a reliable bullpen arm, but the context told a different story.

Most of his 30 innings came in low-leverage situations, and even then, the peripherals raised red flags. Despite boasting a powerful arsenal, Hernández struck out just 20.9% of batters faced while posting a career-worst 12.4% walk rate—a troubling combination that overshadowed the surface-level stats.

Where the 28-year-old goes from here is uncertain. There’s always a market for a power arm with Hernández’s raw stuff, but his long-standing control issues are a legitimate concern.

Complicating matters further, he’s out of minor-league options, which limits his appeal for teams looking to stash a project arm. Any club that adds him to the 40-man roster will need to commit to keeping him in the majors or risk facing this same DFA cycle again.

Hernández signed with the Royals as an international free agent out of Venezuela on July 19, 2016, and made his MLB debut on Sept. 1, 2020, against Cleveland. Over five seasons in Kansas City, he appeared in 150 games, including 25 starts, and recorded four saves. While his role fluctuated, he totaled 256.1 innings with the Royals, posting a 4.95 ERA and 4.45 FIP.