Xavier Hernandez
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1989-1998)
Xavier Hernandez was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1989 to 1998 for 5 teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, a span of 10 seasons. Across 463 career appearances, he went 40-35 with a 3.90 ERA, 562 strikeouts, and 35 saves. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 5678.8.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1989-06-04
- Last Game
- 1998-09-26
Full name: Francis Xavier Hernandez
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | TOR | AL | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22.2 | 25 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 4.76 | 3.71 (-28%) | -438.1 |
| 1990 | HOU | NL | 2 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62.1 | 60 | 32 | 24 | 24 | 4.62 | 3.86 (-20%) | -1859.1 |
| 1991 | HOU | NL | 2 | 7 | 32 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 63.0 | 66 | 33 | 32 | 55 | 4.71 | 3.91 (-21%) | 63.2 |
| 1992 | HOU | NL | 9 | 1 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 111.0 | 81 | 26 | 42 | 96 | 2.11 | 3.75 (+44%) | 2526.8 |
| 1993 | HOU | NL | 4 | 5 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 96.2 | 75 | 28 | 28 | 101 | 2.61 | 4.19 (+38%) | 3906.7 |
| 1994 | NYA | AL | 4 | 4 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 40.0 | 48 | 26 | 21 | 37 | 5.85 | 4.51 (-30%) | -769.4 |
| 1995 | CIN | NL | 7 | 2 | 59 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 90.0 | 95 | 46 | 31 | 84 | 4.60 | 4.45 (-3%) | 2044.7 |
| 1996 | CIN | NL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.1 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 13.50 | — | 0.0 |
| 1996 | HOU | NL | 5 | 5 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 74.2 | 69 | 35 | 26 | 78 | 4.22 | 4.61 (+9%) | 925.8 |
| 1997 | TEX | AL | 0 | 4 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49.1 | 51 | 25 | 22 | 36 | 4.56 | 4.39 (-4%) | -696.0 |
| 1998 | TEX | AL | 6 | 6 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 58.0 | 43 | 23 | 30 | 41 | 3.57 | 4.43 (+19%) | -25.9 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 40 | 35 | 463 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 671.0 | 621 | 291 | 266 | 562 | 3.90 | — | 5,679 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 464 | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | .027 | .077 | .027 | .104 | 0 |
Career AVG .027 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — 89.7% below league average.
Career OBP .077 vs. league average .331 across their career seasons — 76.8% below league average.
Career SLG .027 vs. league average .403 across their career seasons — 93.3% below league average.
Career OPS .104 vs. league average .735 across their career seasons — 85.9% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | TOR | AL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1990 | HOU | NL | 35 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1991 | HOU | NL | 32 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1992 | HOU | NL | 77 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1993 | HOU | NL | 72 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1994 | NYA | AL | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1995 | CIN | NL | 59 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1996 | CIN | NL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1996 | HOU | NL | 58 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1997 | TEX | AL | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1998 | TEX | AL | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 464 | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | .027 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | NLCS | CIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 27.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (927 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 226 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .062 |
| Away | 238 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 226 | 329.1 | 289 | 136 | 115 | 273 | 3.72 |
| Away | 237 | 341.2 | 332 | 155 | 151 | 289 | 4.08 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-09-26 | TEX | SEA | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998-09-21 | TEX | LAA | — | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998-09-19 | TEX | OAK | — | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-09-14 | TEX | BAL | L | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-09-09 | TEX | KCR | — | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-09-06 | TEX | MIN | L | 0.0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998-09-05 | TEX | MIN | L | 0.1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-09-02 | TEX | DET | — | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-08-28 | TEX | CHW | W | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998-08-26 | TEX | DET | — | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | TOR | P | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 | HOU | P | 34 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | HOU | P | 32 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | HOU | P | 77 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | HOU | P | 72 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | NYA | P | 31 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 3 |
| 1995 | CIN | P | 59 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | CIN | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | HOU | P | 58 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | TEX | P | 44 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 | TEX | P | 46 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 463 |
Salary History
Xavier Hernandez's recorded salaries total $6,666,834 over 9 seasons, 1990 to 1998. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Hernandez's career ran from 1989 to 1998. No salary is recorded for 1989.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | TEX | AL | $1,000,000 |
| 1997 | TEX | AL | $600,000 |
| 1996 | CIN | NL | $600,000 |
| 1996 | HOU | NL | $109,000 |
| 1995 | CIN | NL | $1,478,334 |
| 1994 | NYA | AL | $1,525,000 |
| 1993 | HOU | NL | $900,000 |
| 1992 | HOU | NL | $230,000 |
| 1991 | HOU | NL | $122,500 |
| 1990 | HOU | NL | $102,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $6,666,834 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette | LA | 1984, 1985, 1986 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Xavier Hernandez (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Xavier Hernandez: the record in brief
Between the debut on June 4, 1989 and the final game on September 26, 1998, Xavier Hernandez built the record summarized on this page. The team column moves through the Toronto Blue Jays (1989), the Houston Astros (1990 through 1996), the New York Yankees (1994), the Cincinnati Reds (1995 through 1996), and the Texas Rangers (1997 to 1998). Hernandez is listed as a pitcher at 185 pounds on a 6-foot-2 frame. The bio says Hernandez hit left-handed while throwing right-handed. Hernandez was born on August 16, 1965, in Port Arthur, TX, USA. Hernandez's full given name, per the bio, is Francis Xavier Hernandez.
Hernandez went 40-35 with a 3.90 ERA in 463 games, 7 of them starts. Also on Hernandez's record: 562 strikeouts and 35 saves. That 3.90 ERA compares with a 4.18 league average across the same seasons, 6.6% better. 1992 brought Hernandez a season-high 9 wins. 1993 produced Hernandez's most strikeouts, 101.
Frequently Asked Questions about Xavier Hernandez
- What years did Xavier Hernandez play?
- Xavier Hernandez played in Major League Baseball from 1989 to 1998.
- Was Xavier Hernandez a pitcher?
- Yes. Xavier Hernandez pitched in the major leagues, recording 40 wins and 562 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Xavier Hernandez hit?
- Xavier Hernandez hit 0 career home runs with 1 hit.
- What teams did Xavier Hernandez play for?
- Xavier Hernandez played for 5 teams: the Toronto Blue Jays (1989), the Houston Astros (1990–1993, 1996), the New York Yankees (1994), the Cincinnati Reds (1995–1996), and the Texas Rangers (1997–1998).
- What were Xavier Hernandez's career stats?
- In 463 games, Xavier Hernandez went 40-35 with a 3.90 ERA, 562 strikeouts, 671.0 innings pitched, and 35 saves.
- How much did Xavier Hernandez earn in his career?
- Xavier Hernandez's recorded salaries total $6,666,834 over 9 seasons, 1990 to 1998. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Hernandez's career ran from 1989 to 1998. No salary is recorded for 1989.
- What was Xavier Hernandez's salary?
- Xavier Hernandez's last recorded salary was $1,000,000, in 1998. His highest recorded salary was $1,525,000, in 1994, and his lowest was $102,000, in 1990. The Salary History table lists each season from 1990 to 1998.
- What position did Xavier Hernandez play?
- Xavier Hernandez played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Xavier Hernandez and how much did he weigh?
- Xavier Hernandez was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 185 pounds.
- What was Xavier Hernandez's career ERA?
- Xavier Hernandez finished with a 3.90 career ERA, going 40-35 with 562 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Xavier Hernandez have?
- Xavier Hernandez recorded 562 career strikeouts.
- Is Xavier Hernandez in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Xavier Hernandez has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.