Felix Hernandez lands new gig in baseball

Aug 11, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Former Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez walks off the field after catching the ceremonial first pitch prior to a game between the Seattle Mariners and the Baltimore Orioles at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Nearly four years after throwing his final MLB pitch, King Felix is back in the sport.

Baseball United, a fledgling pro baseball league based in both the Middle East and South Asia, announced in a release this week that retired Seattle Mariners great Felix Hernandez will have a role with one of their franchises. Hernandez is set to become honorary general manager of the Dubai Wolves. John McLaren, who managed Hernandez and the Mariners from 2007-08, will also be the Wolves’ first-ever manager.

Now 37, Hernandez recently joined Baseball United as an investor. The AL Cy Young Award winner in 2010, Hernandez was a six-time MLB All-Star who played his entire pro career with Seattle (he later signed with Atlanta and Baltimore but never pitched in a single game for either of them). After last playing in 2019, Hernandez was inducted into Mariners Hall of Fame earlier this month.

Baseball United, the first-ever pro baseball league focused on the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, is set to formally begin operations with a November showcase tournament in Dubai. Adrian Beltre, Hernandez’s ex-Mariners teammate, is part of the Baseball United ownership group, and this former MLB MVP is even serving as a manager.