The Dodgers have introduced Teoscar Hernández again on a three-year deal. The Republik Sports activities consumer is reportedly assured $66M, together with a $23M signing bonus. There’s slightly greater than $23M in deferred cash, whereas the deal features a $15M workforce possibility for the 2028 season.
Hernández, 32, will get the three-year deal he’d been in search of. The slugger had known as returning to the Dodgers a precedence after an enormous first season with the workforce. Hernández slashed .272/.339/.501 with 33 homers throughout 652 plate appearances. He carried that sturdy manufacturing into the postseason, hitting three longballs with a .250/.352/.417 slash over 16 video games to assist the Dodgers safe their second championship in 5 years.
This was the best consequence for a participant on a pillow contract. Hernández had reached free company final winter on the heels of a middling season in Seattle. He had turned in a .258/.305/.435 slash over 678 plate appearances as a Mariner. In consequence, Hernández didn’t discover the profitable long-term provide he’d been in search of. Whereas the Purple Sox supplied him a two-year deal that will’ve include a $28M assure, he signed for one season on a deferred $23.5M wage with the aim of reestablishing his market worth.
It couldn’t have labored out significantly better for both facet. Hernández had among the best seasons of his profession. He earned his second All-Star nod and Silver Slugger award whereas selecting up down poll MVP votes for the third time. Hernández established a brand new profession excessive in residence runs with charge stats that had been according to his greatest years in Toronto. He was an instrumental a part of a championship roster.
The down yr in 2023 appears like an anomaly. He’s hardly the one veteran hitter to wrestle in Seattle’s extraordinarily pitcher-friendly residence park. Hernández has been an affect hitter in every of the opposite 4 seasons since his breakout in 2020. Over the previous 5 years, he owns a .274/.328/.493 batting line in practically 2,700 journeys to the plate. There’ll be an honest variety of strikeouts, however few gamers hit the ball as exhausting as he does. Hernández is an annual menace for 30+ doubles and at the least 25-30 homers.
Hernández was the one key offensive participant whom the Dodgers feared dropping in free company. He’ll return to hitch Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Max Muncy, Tommy Edman and Gavin Lux in a loaded offense. The Dodgers added Michael Conforto on a one-year, $17M contract on the Winter Conferences. No different workforce rivals the efficiency of the L.A. lineup.
The Dodgers are taking up some threat from a defensive perspective. Regardless of plus arm energy and surprisingly sturdy athleticism, Hernández has by no means graded as a great defender. That continued this season. Defensive Runs Saved felt he was three runs beneath par in his 1,308 mixed innings between the nook outfield spots. Statcast rated him way more harshly, estimating he was 11 runs beneath common.
Hernández isn’t probably to enhance on a contract that runs by means of age 34. A perfect touchdown spot would’ve allowed him to maneuver to designated hitter in yr two or three. That’s not an possibility on a workforce with Ohtani. The Dodgers are shifting Betts to shortstop and may have Hernández and Conforto flanking Edman within the outfield. They’ll settle for a mediocre defensive unit for the prospect to stack with the lineup with good hitters.
Including Conforto and re-signing Hernández blocks the trail to on a regular basis at-bats for kids Andy Pages and James Outman. The latter seems like a change of surroundings candidate after a disappointing second MLB season. The Dodgers will in all probability be much less inclined to maneuver the 24-year-old Pages, who had a league common .248/.305/.407 exhibiting as a rookie. He nonetheless has a minor-league possibility remaining, so they might begin him in Triple-A in the event that they don’t wish to restrict him to fourth outfield work.
Pages doesn’t have anything to show within the minors, however the Dodgers have the sources to proceed loading up. Different groups determine to at the least attempt to pull him away by way of commerce, although L.A. may choose to carry him as a alternative for Conforto after subsequent season. Signing Blake Snell and retaining Blake Treinen earlier within the winter leaves the Dodgers with none clear holes on the roster.
At first of the offseason, MLBTR predicted Hernández would obtain a three-year deal at $60M. He’ll land barely above that forecast in uncooked cash, although the deferrals will scale back the online current worth to some extent. A 3-year, $66M deal with out deferrals would include a $22M aggressive stability tax hit. Hernández’s quantity will find yourself a bit beneath that. The precise payout construction, which hasn’t been totally reported, will decide how MLB calculates the contract for tax functions.
Together with Hernández, RosterResource calculates the Dodgers’ luxurious tax quantity round $353M pending the deferral specifics. They’re effectively past the $301M mark that represents the ultimate tier of penalization. They’re taxed at a 110% charge on the ultimate AAV. Re-signing Hernández will probably price them upwards of $40M subsequent yr after taxes. The Dodgers have been undeterred by the CBT as they push for a repeat.
Hernández had declined a qualifying provide. Different groups would have wanted to forfeit a draft option to signal him. The Dodgers solely relinquish the correct to obtain a 2025 compensation decide, which might have come after the fourth spherical. The Blue Jays and Purple Sox had additionally been linked to Hernández this winter. These golf equipment (particularly Toronto) may flip to Anthony Santander, who stands because the clear prime unsigned outfielder. Jurickson Profar is a tier or two beneath that because the next-best outfield bat.
Yancen Pujols first reported that Hernández and the Dodgers had been finalizing a three-year, $66M deal. Chris Cotillo of MassLive confirmed there was an settlement in place. ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the $15M possibility for 2028, in addition to the signing bonus and the approximate $23M in deferrals.
