The Dodgers have introduced Teoscar Hernández again on a three-year deal. The Republik Sports activities consumer is reportedly assured $66MM, together with a $23MM signing bonus. There’s a bit of greater than $23MM in deferred cash, whereas the deal features a $15MM workforce possibility for the 2028 season.
Hernández, 32, will get the three-year deal he’d been searching for. 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 robust 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 end result 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. Consequently, Hernández didn’t discover the profitable long-term supply he’d been searching for. Whereas the Crimson Sox provided him a two-year deal that might’ve include a $28MM assure, he signed for one season on a deferred $23.5MM wage with the objective of reestablishing his market worth.
It couldn’t have labored out a lot better for both aspect. 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 house runs with fee stats that had been in step with his greatest years in Toronto. He was an instrumental a part of a championship roster.
The down 12 months in 2023 seems to be like an anomaly. He’s hardly the one veteran hitter to battle in Seattle’s extraordinarily pitcher-friendly house park. Hernández has been an influence 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 almost 2700 journeys to the plate. There’ll be an honest variety of strikeouts, however few gamers hit the ball as arduous as he does. Hernández is an annual menace for 30+ doubles and not less than 25-30 homers.
Hernández was the one key offensive participant whom the Dodgers feared dropping in free company. He’ll return to affix 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, $17MM 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 power and surprisingly robust 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 1308 mixed innings between the nook outfield spots. Statcast rated him rather more harshly, estimating he was 11 runs beneath common.
Hernández isn’t seemingly to enhance on a contract that runs by way of age 34. A super touchdown spot would’ve allowed him to maneuver to designated hitter in 12 months two or three. That’s not an possibility on a workforce with Ohtani. The Dodgers are transferring Betts to shortstop and can 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 most likely 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 assets to proceed loading up. Different groups determine to not less than attempt to pull him away through commerce, although L.A. might 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 $60MM. 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, $66MM deal with out deferrals would include a $22MM 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 $353MM pending the deferral specifics. They’re nicely past the $301MM mark that represents the ultimate tier of penalization. They’re taxed at a 110% fee on the ultimate AAV. Re-signing Hernández will seemingly price them upwards of $40MM subsequent 12 months after taxes. The Dodgers have been undeterred by the CBT as they push for a repeat.
Hernández had declined a qualifying supply. Different groups would have wanted to forfeit a draft option to signal him. The Dodgers solely relinquish the appropriate to obtain a 2025 compensation choose, which might have come after the fourth spherical. The Blue Jays and Crimson Sox had additionally been linked to Hernández this winter. These golf equipment (particularly Toronto) might flip to Anthony Santander, who stands because the clear high 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, $66MM deal. Chris Cotillo of MassLive confirmed there was an settlement in place. ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the $15MM possibility for 2028, in addition to the signing bonus and the approximate $23MM in deferrals.
Picture courtesy of Imagn.
