After Sunday’s victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, the Nationals announced they signed right-handed pitcher Livan Hernandez to a one-year, $1 million contract for 2011.
Hernandez, 35, has had a remarkable turnaround season. Last August he was released by the New York Mets and picked up by a Washington team desperate for a veteran presence in an inexperienced rotation. He performed well enough last September to earn an invitation to spring training. Then Hernandez showed up in tremendous shape and carried that performance into the regular season with a 3.49 ERA in 27 starts.
“It’s a good year for me. I got to prove it,” said Hernandez, who has not posted a sub-4.00 ERA in a full season since 2005. “I said in spring training I want to come back and perform the way I used to before the last two years. It’s happened right now.”
Bonus incentives will take the deal higher, according to a baseball source. Hernandez signed a minor league contract in the offseason that paid him $900,000 plus incentives in 2010. He has pitched four full seasons with the Montreal/Washington franchise plus parts of two others. He started the Nats’ first game back in the District at RFK Stadium in 2005 and leads the franchise with 35 wins since the move from Montreal. He was traded to Arizona in 2006.
“We think that he’s earned it,” Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said. “[Hernandez] came into spring training in terrific condition. The pitching has been great throughout the season, and Livan is a cornerstone and leader of our pitching rotation.”
