Red Sox's Darwinzon Hernandez: Getting stretched out

Hernandez (illness) could start games for the Red Sox at some point this season, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

The Red Sox want Hernandez stretched out to be able to handle two or three innings when he comes off the COVID-19 injured list, but manager Ron Roenicke said the team thinks he could be a starter long term and mentioned the possibility the southpaw will enter the rotation by season's end. Hernandez has electric stuff from the left side but his minor-league control issues followed him to the majors last year (17.7 percent walk rate), so improving as a strike thrower will be paramount for him to have success as a starter. Given how short-handed Boston's rotation is, moving Hernandez out of the bullpen is worth a shot in the short term, but he does not project to be efficient enough with his pitches to log five innings with any kind of regularity.