Roberto Hernandez, the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, was granted a visa and will return to the United States on Saturday night and meet with reporters at Progressive Field on Sunday, according to Paul Hoynes of the The Plain Dealer. Stephen Payne, the lobbyist who worked on the right-handed pitcher’s behalf, told Hoynes that Hernandez must serve a “brief” suspension before returning to the club. Hoynes reports that the suspension will be three weeks, making Hernandez available on August 11th.
Payne seemed confident that Hernandez will be playing again for the Tribe, and Hoynes indicated that he will start rehab assignments soon:
“I do know Roberto will be playing baseball for the Cleveland Indians — if he’s physically ready — sometime in August,” said Payne.
Hernandez is scheduled to throw a simulated game next week for the Indians coaching staff. He will then go on a rehab assigment to the minors. He’ll need at least three to four starts to get ready.
The suspension is somewhat unexpected, as the Indians claimed that Hernandez would not receive a comparable punishment handed down to the former Leo Nunez of the Marlins, now Juan Carlos Oviedo.
[Related: Dominican Baseball: Fool me Once…]
