The Padres outrighted Hernandez to Triple-A El Paso on Monday.
San Diego dropped Hernandez from the 40-man roster to clear a spot for right-handed reliever Jeremiah Estrada, who was claimed off waivers from the Cubs. Hernandez racked up 82 strikeouts and notched seven saves over 61 innings between El Paso and Double-A San Antonio in 2023, but he didn't impress during his brief time in the big leagues with San Diego in September. He worked three innings across two appearances and gave up four earned runs on three hits and four walks while striking out five.