Nationals Lock up Livan Hernandez through 2011

The Washington Nationals today announced they have signed right-handed pitcher Livan Hernandez through the 2011 season. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Including this season's 9-9 mark with a 3.49 ERA in 27 starts, Hernandez is 11-13 with a 3.90 ERA (97 ER/224.0 IP) in 35 starts, 24 of which have been quality starts, since rejoining the Nationals as a free agent on August 25, 2009. In little more than a year with Washington, Hernandez owns a 3.29 ERA (39 ER/106.2 IP) and 13 quality starts in 16 road assignments. In 94 career starts with the Nationals (2005-present), the 35 year-old Hernandez is 35-31 with a 4.27 ERA (293 ER/617.0 IP). Including his days with Montreal, Hernandez is 61-56 with a 3.89 ERA (478 ER/1105.1 IP) in 162 starts ('03-06, '09-10) while pitching for the Nationals/Expos franchise. With 35 victories, Hernandez is the winningest pitcher in the six-year history of the Nationals (2005-present). He also remains the Nationals' all-time leader in starts (94), innings pitched (617.0) and strikeouts (354). Hernandez owns the distinction of throwing both the first pitch in the history of the Nationals (April 4, 2005 at Philadelphia) and the first pitch in Washington, DC (April 14, 2005 vs. Arizona) after 33 summers without big league baseball. In 2005, he was the first National to participate in an All-Star Game. Hernandez is 165-160 with a 4.39 ERA in 440 games/439 starts spanning 15 big league seasons with Washington, New York (NL), Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, Montreal, San Francisco and Florida. He is the only current big league pitcher to have started at least 30 games in 12 straight seasons (1998-present). Hernandez is just three starting assignments shy of extending this streak to 13. His next start is scheduled for Friday at Pittsburgh.