Fernandez signed with the NPB's Chiba Lotte Marines on Saturday.
Fernandez elected to become a free agent after spending 2023 with the Blue Jays' and Nationals' Triple-A affiliates. He put up a 5.37 ERA and 1.72 WHIP through 58.2 innings in the minors, and he'll now look to hone his craft overseas.
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Nationals' Junior Fernandez: Signs with Nats
Rotowire
Fernandez signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Tuesday.
Fernandez put up a 5.88 ERA and 1.71 WHIP through 49 innings this season with the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo before getting released earlier in August. He'll now sign on with the Nationals as organizational depth. The 26-year-old righty logged a 2.41 ERA through 18.2 innings in the majors last season, though he seems unlikely to make it back to the bigs in 2023.
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Blue Jays' Junior Fernandez: Clears waivers and outrighted
Rotowire
Fernandez cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Buffalo by the Blue Jays on Tuesday.
Fernandez was designated for assignment for the fourth time this winter, and this time went unclaimed by another organization. He'll be organizational depth for the Blue Jays in 2023.
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Blue Jays' Junior Fernandez: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Fernandez was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Tuesday.
Fernandez was just claimed by the Jays last week and will now go through the waiver process again. If he does join another new team, it would be his fifth since September.
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Blue Jays' Junior Fernandez: On the move again
Rotowire
Fernandez was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays from the Yankees on Thursday.
Since September, Fernandez has gone from the Cardinals to the Pirates to the Yankees and now to the Blue Jays via the waiver process. It's easy to see the appeal in taking a shot on Fernandez's big arm, but it's been a few years since the 25-year-old has had consistent success at the major- or minor-league level.
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Yankees' Junior Fernandez: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Fernandez was designated for assignment by the Yankees on Wednesday.
Fernandez made 16 appearances for the Pirates and Cardinals in 2022 and posted a 2.41 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 18.1 innings. He was claimed off waivers by the Yankees in mid-November but will be cast off the 40-man roster after the team recently signed several free agents.
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Yankees' Junior Fernandez: Joins New York via waiver claim
Rotowire
The Yankees claimed Fernandez off waivers from the Pirates on Friday.
Pittsburgh designated Fernandez for assignment earlier this week after he had previously been DFA'd by St. Louis in September. Fernandez is a 6-foot-3 right-hander who can pump the fastball in at close to 99 mph on average. He hasn't enjoyed much success in parts of four big-league seasons, but the Yankees will be hoping their development team can help him harness the stuff.
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Pirates' Junior Fernandez: DFA'd by Pittsburgh
Rotowire
Fernandez was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old was claimed off waivers by the Pirates in early September and was called up to the majors for three appearances during the final week of the season. Fernandez had a 2.41 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 14:12 K:BB across 18.2 innings between Pittsburgh and St. Louis but won't retain his spot on the 40-man roster.
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Pirates' Junior Fernandez: Joins big-league club
Rotowire
Fernandez was recalled by the Pirates on Saturday, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Fernandez was claimed off waivers from the Cardinals in early September but has remained at the Triple-A level since then, allowing two runs on two hits while posting an 8:6 K:BB in eight innings for his new organization. In 50.2 career major-league innings, he owns a 5.51 ERA.
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Pirates' Junior Fernandez: Joins new organization
Rotowire
The Pirates claimed Fernandez off waivers from the Cardinals on Wednesday and optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.
Pittsburgh designated lefty reliever Cam Vieaux for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster for Fernandez. The 25-year-old right-hander had made 13 appearances out of St. Louis' bullpen this season, logging a 2.93 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and 12:8 K:BB across 15.1 innings.
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Cardinals' Junior Fernandez: Removed from 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Cardinals designated Fernandez for assignment Monday.
Fernandez will cede his spot on the 40-man roster to Jack Flaherty (shoulder), who was activated from the 60-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Monday versus the Nationals. Prior to being optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Aug. 2, Fernandez appeared in 13 games out of the St. Louis bullpen this season, logging a 2.93 ERA and 1.63 WHIP across 15.1 innings.
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Cardinals' Junior Fernandez: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Fernandez was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday.
Fernandez has not appeared in a game since giving up three earned runs July 26, so the Cardinals decided to remove him from the roster to open up a spot for Yadier Molina. Fernandez did not allow an earned run over his first 13.0 big-league innings of the season, so he figures to garner consideration next time the Cardinals need to bring up a reliever from the minors.
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Cardinals' Junior Fernandez: Tagged for three runs
Rotowire
Fernandez allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out one in one inning during Tuesday's 10-3 loss to the Blue Jays.
Fernandez began the year with 12.1 scoreless innings, but he's now yielded six runs (five earned) in his last three frames over four appearances. The 25-year-old right-hander was due for some regression after beginning the campaign strong, and he now has a 2.93 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and 12:8 K:BB through 15.1 innings. He's given up three home runs in two outings since the All-Star break, so keeping the ball in the yard will be key in getting Fernandez back on track.
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Cardinals' Junior Fernandez: Yet to be charged with run
Rotowire
Fernandez has posted nine scoreless innings since his call-up June 22.
In that span, Fernandez has allowed two hits and three walks with seven strikeouts, though he took a blown save for allowing an inherited runner to score July 2 against the Phillies. Fernandez has maintained a .143 BABIP and 2.48 FIP across 11 innings overall -- the first mark is unsustainable, but the second suggests any regression that arises won't be overwhelming. The right-hander has added a 0.64 WHIP and could see an increased role, but he's likely to stick as a middle reliever given the strength at the top of the Cardinals' bullpen hierarchy.
The Cardinals recalled Fernandez from Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday.
He'll move up to the big club for the second time this season with fellow reliever T.J. McFarland heading to the COVID-19-related injured list in a corresponding move. Over 26.1 innings out of the bullpen at Memphis in 2022, Fernandez has turned in a 5.13 ERA and 1.69 WHIP. He'll be limited to a low-leverage role while he's up with St. Louis.
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Cardinals' Junior Fernandez: Returns to minors
Rotowire
Fernandez was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday.
Fernandez was promoted from Memphis earlier this week and will now return return there after delivering two scoreless frames in his first big-league outing of 2022. The right-hander has struggled at the Triple-A level this year with a 6.35 ERA.
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Cardinals' Junior Fernandez: Joins St. Louis bullpen
Rotowire
The Cardinals recalled Fernandez from Triple-A Memphis on Monday.
The 25-year-old right-handed will join the St. Louis bullpen as a fresh-armed replacement for Angel Rondon, who was optioned to Memphis after tossing five innings and 86 pitches in long relief during Sunday's 18-4 win over the Pirates. Fernandez is up with the big club for the first time in 2022, but he made 18 relief appearances for St. Louis in 2021 and produced a 5.66 ERA and 1.94 WHIP across 20.2 innings.
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Cardinals' Junior Fernandez: Opening season at Triple-A
Rotowire
Fernandez was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Monday.
Fernandez is still just 25 years old, but he's yet to show much at the big-league level over parts of three seasons. In 35.1 innings of relief, he's struggled to a 6.62 ERA, striking out 19.8 percent of opposing batters while walking 13.8 percent.
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Cardinals' Junior Fernandez: Set to pitch in relief Tuesday
Rotowire
Fernandez (shoulder) is listed among the Cardinals relievers scheduled to pitch behind starter Dakota Hudson in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Fernandez is on track to make his second appearance of the spring, after he worked around a walk and a hit in a scoreless frame to earn a save against the Mets in his spring debut Sunday. After closing the 2021 campaign on the injured list due to a strained right shoulder, Fernandez looks healthy this spring and should have a shot at breaking camp as a member of the Cardinals' Opening Day bullpen.
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Cardinals' Junior Fernandez: Shifts to 60-day injured list
Rotowire
Fernandez (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Sunday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The move has no impact on Fernandez's return timeline, as he's already been ruled out for the season with a strained shoulder. It clears a spot for the team to activate Johan Quezada (lat/illness) from the 60-day injured list.
