The Los Angeles Dodgers are calling up right-handed pitcher Julian Fernandez to join their bullpen as of July 7, 2025. This will be Fernandez’s second stint in the Major Leagues and his first MLB appearance since 2021 with the Colorado Rockies.
Dodgers to Recall Julian Fernández, per @FabianArdaya
Overall, the righty is 3-0 with a 4.08 ERA in 28.2 innings, racking up thirty-two strikeouts and posting a 1.50 WHIP.
He’ll need to be added to the Dodgers' 40-man roster
— Cody Snavely (Canelo) (@SnavelyCody6) July 7, 2025
Fernandez, 29, was signed by the Colorado Rockies on July 2, 2012, out of Bosta Chica, Dominican Republic. He pitched for the Rockies minor leagues until 2017, when he was released and then claimed on waivers by the San Francisco Giants. Almost immediately in his tenure with the Giants, Fernandez was placed on the 60-day Injured List after spraining his UCL.
Soon after recovering, Fernandez was DFA’d by the Giants and claimed with the Miami Marlins. Unfortunately, before Fernandez pitched an inning for any of the Marlins’ affiliates, he was placed on the 60-day IL once again. Fernandez never pitched an inning for the Giants or Marlins organizations.
After being DFA’d once again, Fernandez found himself in a familiar place: Colorado. After battling through injuries and the COVID cancellations, Fernandez pitched his first MiLB inning since 2017 in May, 2021, with the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats. In late July, he was promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque and in September, Fernandez was called up to make his MLB debut with the Rockies.
After pitching in three different ranks of the Rockies’ system in his first year returning to pitching, Fernandez pitched 6 2/3 innings during September for a Rockies club that finished 74-87. He had a 10.80 ERA and four strikeouts.
That winter, Fernandez pitched for Aguilas Cibaenas of LIDOM for the first time in hopes of making the Rockies MLB team again in 2022. Unfortunately, Fernandez never made it back to the majors with Colorado. He spent time in the minor leagues with both the Rockies and Toronto Blue Jays organizations, as well as the Estrellas Orientales of LIDOM and El Aguila de Veracruz of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol.
In the LMB, Fernandez became an All-Star after pitching 34 2/3 innings and holding a 1.82 ERA in 2024. After a strong LMB performance and his fourth winter in LIDOM, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Fernandez to a minor league contract on Jan. 6, 2025. This season in Triple-A Oklahoma City, Fernandez is 3-0 with a 4.08 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings. His fastball velocity has also been consistently in the upper-90s, recently touching 100 miles-per-hour.
Julian Fernandez hit 100 in his outing tonight for AAA OKC. That's per the Albuquerque PxP, Josh Suchon, who I'm assuming got that data from the track man system.
Fernandez threw a scoreless inning! #dodgers pic.twitter.com/yxDtu2W5o0
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) June 13, 2025
Now Fernandez will make the 1,330 mile trip from Oklahoma City to Chavez Ravine to join the Dodgers and pitch in the MLB for the first time in four seasons. The Dodgers have dealt with a multitude of injuries to their pitching staff this season and have struggled in the bullpen. Their bullpen ERA ranks 26th in the MLB with former All-Star Tanner Scott, Jack Dreyer and Alex Vesia the only healthy bullpen arms that have more than 0.2 Wins Above replacement, with no reliever having over 0.8 WAR.
WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo: Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Julian Fernandez (30) in the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
