Heriberto Hernández Keeps Coming Through for Marlins
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On Saturday, Heriberto Hernández stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning of a 4–4 game against the Cincinnati Reds. Hernández lined a single off Sam Moll that scored two runs, giving Miami a lead it would not relinquish in an eventual 8–4 victory.
Less than a day later, Hernández came up big in another close game. Miami and Cincinnati entered the eighth inning Sunday locked in a scoreless tie before Hernández launched a solo home run to left field. The blast, his 18th of the season, opened the scoring in what eventually became a 7–1 Marlins victory.
Hernández's Power Has Been His Calling Card
Hernández is not the most complete hitter, but his power has still been a boon for Miami's offense. The 26-year-old is hitting .231 with a .766 OPS and a team-leading 18 home runs. The Marlins have needed those blasts, as the team ranks 23rd in MLB with 128 home runs entering Monday.
A glance through the underlying statistics suggests the power is no fluke. Hernández's hard-hit rate, barrel rate and average exit velocity all sit comfortably above league norms. He also owns a 30.5% fly-ball rate, compared with the MLB average of 24.2%.
There is a price to pay for that power-focused approach, though. Hernández has a 34.2% whiff rate, well above the 25% league average, while his 27.8% strikeout rate also exceeds MLB's 22.2% mark. Put together, it is not difficult to see why a hitter capable of doing significant damage when he connects can still carry a batting average in the low-.200s.
That all-or-nothing style can be frustrating at times, but Hernández's power can make the swing-and-miss easier to tolerate when he is producing. This weekend offered a timely example, with Miami taking two of three from Cincinnati to remain firmly in the playoff race. The Marlins enter Monday three games out of an NL Wild Card spot, making every game-changing swing valuable.
Hernández also possesses enough physical tools to remain a big part of Miami's roster beyond the immediate playoff push. His 28.6 ft/s sprint speed ranks in the 83rd percentile. Statcast also ranks his arm strength above average, although his overall arm value is -1 and his baserunning value is 0. Those physical qualities still need some polish before they can be maximized.
The next step is getting more out of those impressive physical qualities. If Hernández can cut down on the swing-and-miss while making better use of his arm and speed, Miami could have a player capable of affecting games in several different ways.
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Wesley Dixon is a sports writer focused on thoughtful analysis, roster-building angles, player development and feature-style storytelling. He has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA, with work centered on breaking down team direction, player fit and the larger stories behind the game. Wesley is a lifelong MLB fan, following multiple teams throughout the league. He is excited to bring that same detail-oriented approach to On SI.