Félix Hernández Amway

This article is about Baseball Major League pitcher. For Venezuelan soccer player, see Félix José Hernández.

The first or paternal surname of this Spanish name is Hernández, the second or maternal surname is García.

Félix Abraham Hernández García (born April 8, 1986), nicknamed "King Felix," is a freelance Venezuelan baseball pitcher. He previously played Seattle Mariners' Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2005 to 2019.

Hernández threw the 23rd perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 1-0 victory at Safeco Field on August 15, 2012. It was also Seattle's first flawless franchise history game. His perfect game remains Major League Baseball's latest.

On April 23, 2016, Hernández claimed a Mariners pitcher record for most strikeouts when he struck out Los Angeles Angels' Rafael Ortega for his 2.163rd Mariner pitcher strikeout. Randy Johnson's previous record of 2,162 strikeouts. Hernández's 146th win on May 9 gave him the club record in that area, beating Jamie Moyer 

Early life

Minor league career

Hernández was born in Valencia. He was originally seen by Luis Fuenmayor, a part-time mariners scout who watched him throwing outside Maracaibo, Venezuela, at age 14. Fuenmayor recommended Hernández to fellow scouts Pedro Avila and Emilio Carrasquel, impressed by the young man who could throw 90 mph. The Seattle Mariners signed Hernandez after turning 16, in compliance with MLB rules. 

After finishing high school, Hernández eventually accepted his first professional contract. Mariners International Operations Director Bob Engle signed Hernández as a free agent on July 4, 2002. Hernández received a huge $710,000 signing bonus, though he stated the Mariners weren't the top bidder. 

Other teams trying to sign him included the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves, both organisations offering more money than Seattle.

One reason Hernández selected the Mariners is that at the time his idol, Venezuelan pitcher Freddy García, was pitching for the team. His agent, Wil Polidor, also credited the choice to Hernández's father Félix Sr., a trucking industry entrepreneur who negotiated for his son. Engle and the other Mariners scouts had built a familial bond to explain their goals for Félix and earn the family's trust.

Professional career

Minor league career

The following year, Hernández travelled to the U.S. and began pitching in the minor league system of Mariners. In 2003, Hernández tore Class-A with a 7–2 score in Everett and Wisconsin. Returning to his native Venezuela to pitch in the winter league there, at 17, he held his own against competition that included seasoned big league players.

In 2004, Hernández was selected the year's Mariners' minor league pitcher, a season that also saw him compete in the Futures Game. He began with Inland Empire in the California League before being promoted to Double-A San Antonio, with a combined 14–4 with a 2.95 ERA and 172 strikeouts pitched in 1491⁄3 innings.

In early 2005, MLB America named him as the No. 1 pitching prospect in baseball and No. 2 behind Joe Mauer. Hernández continued his 2005 success with the Pacific Coast League Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, earning a 9–4 record with a league-leading 2,25 ERA and 100 strikeouts in just 88 innings. He was picked for the Triple-A All-Star Game, but didn't play since he spent a month on the shoulder bursitis disabled list. He was also named Year's PCL Rookie and Year's PCL Pitcher.

The U.S.S. fan site called Hernández "King Felix" throughout his minor league years

Seattle Mariners

Major league debut, 2005

Soon after his injury returned, Mariners called Hernández to the major leagues. He made his debut on August 4, 2005, losing 3–1 in an away game against Detroit Tigers. He was the youngest pitcher in the major leagues since José Rijo in 1984 at 19, 118 days.  Hernández won his first major league win on August 9, 2005, pitching eight shutout innings in a 1–0 home triumph over the Minnesota Twins. He registered a stretch of 112 batters facing his first extra-base hit, a double by the Chicago White Sox's Jermaine Dye.

Hernández has a 4–4 record in 12 starts, with 77 strikeouts and 2,67 ERA. His rookie eligibility exhausted with 84+1⁄3 innings pitched. After the season, he became the focus of a debate over the likelihood of his World Baseball Classic 2006 pitching. Although his home Venezuela placed Hernández on a provisional roster, the Mariners objected, citing his past injury and expressing concern about the stress on his arm by adding this competition to the demands of a full season at such a young age in the leagues. Their appeal to the technical committee was finally upheld. 

Upon arrival in the big leagues, Hernández received uniform number 59. He moved to number 34 in 2006, the same number Freddy García (after trading to Chicago White Sox) had worn as a mariner.

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