The Los Angeles Dodgers are turning to, at one time, one of baseball’s most electric arms in hopes of shoring up a depleted bullpen. Per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, the club is calling up right-hander Julian Fernández from Triple-A Oklahoma City ahead of Monday’s game in Milwaukee.
Dodgers Turn to Julian Fernández for Bullpen Reinforcements Amid Injury Crunch
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Fernández, 29, is no stranger to the grind. Once a tantalizing Rule 5 selection by the Rockies, he saw his career stalled by Tommy John surgery and limited to just six MLB appearances in 2021, during which he posted a 10.80 ERA. Since then, he’s bounced between organizations and even pitched in the Mexican League in 2024, where he posted an impressive 1.82 ERA. The Dodgers signed him to a minor league deal this past offseason.
At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Fernández brings an imposing presence—and a fastball that’s touched 102.4 mph. In Oklahoma City this year, he’s compiled a 4.08 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 28.2 innings, leaning heavily on a fastball-changeup combo. While he doesn’t offer pinpoint command, an 8% walk rate and 25.6% strikeout rate suggest he has enough control to make his velocity matter.
The Dodgers, facing a staggering wave of pitching injuries—12 arms currently on the IL—are desperate for innings and upside. Fernández, who still has minor league options, provides both. He’s not a sure thing, but he offers something hard to find: elite velocity and roster flexibility.
Whether he sticks or not will depend on how quickly he can turn raw power into consistent outs.