It’s now likely that Roberto Hernandez, formerly known as Fausto Carmona, will pitch with the Indians in the very near future.
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Hernandez has received his U.S. visa and is scheduled to arrive in Cleveland tonight. He’s scheduled to meet with reporters tomorrow at Progressive Field and will throw a simulated game for the Indians next week.
Hernandez was arrested in January in his native Dominican Republic for falsifying his identity. He reached a deal in March to have the charges dropped in exchange for completing a work program.
While Hernandez will be back in the United States this weekend, he will not join the Indians’ starting rotation right away. Hoynes was told that Hernandez will have to serve a three-week suspension first. The suspension will begin today, so he’ll be eligible to return on August 11.
The Indians were hoping that Hernandez would be able to avoid a suspension altogether, as he agreed this spring to renogotiate his contract and take a cut in guaranteed pay. Still, the punishment isn’t as severe as the eight-week suspension levied to Marlins’ right-hander Juan Carlos Oviedo for falsifying his identity. Hernandez will need three or four tuneup starts in the minors anyway, so the suspension may not have a big impact on his timetable.
Hernandez posted a 5.25 ERA in 32 starts with the Indians last year. He owns a 53-66 record and a 4.59 ERA over six seasons in the majors.
