Even earlier than he hit free company this offseason, Teoscar Hernández made it clear that his coronary heart was in Los Angeles.
“My hopes are actually excessive,” Hernández mentioned after the World Collection parade. “Like I’ve mentioned earlier than, the Dodgers are the precedence, clearly. I’m going to do the whole lot in my energy to come back again.”
The Dodgers felt the identical approach about bringing again the 32-year-old outfielder who turned a quick fan favourite in his first yr with L.A. The reunion now seems to be underway: Hernández and the Dodgers have agreed to a three-year, $66 million take care of a $15 million membership possibility for 2028, a supply informed MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Friday.
The membership has not confirmed. Hernández posted “I am again” on his Instagram story shortly earlier than information of the deal broke.
Per a supply, Hernández’s deal features a $23 million signing bonus and greater than $23 million in deferred cash.
Whereas it hasn’t been the $1 billion offseason of 2023-24, the Dodgers have made a number of key strikes as they search to defend their championship heading into ’25. L.A. has additionally introduced again high-leverage arm Blake Treinen, prolonged utility man Tommy Edman and signed starter Blake Snell and outfielder Michael Conforto.
Hernández was the Dodgers’ solely free agent to obtain a qualifying provide — value $21.05 million — which he rejected, looking for a multiyear deal after he efficiently recouped his worth with the one-year prove-it deal that introduced him to Los Angeles in 2024.
He rapidly turned one of many Dodgers’ most useful contributors. Hernández blasted a career-high 33 homers and posted an .840 OPS within the second All-Star season of his profession.
A supply of consistency and a much-needed wholesome bat within the coronary heart of the L.A. lineup, Hernández additionally added loads of worth off the sphere. He introduced a useful veteran presence to the clubhouse and served as a mentor for the staff’s youthful Latin American gamers. He was named the Dodgers’ recipient of the Coronary heart & Hustle Award, which honors energetic gamers who finest embody the values, spirit and custom of the sport.
“His phrases, he cherished the whole lot about being a Dodger, and I am all the time going to be a Teo fan,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned on the Winter Conferences. “There’s not an entire lot of fellows that may begin [154] ballgames and publish after which be that productive. You then layer on being in a giant market, serving to us win a championship. So these gamers do not come round fairly often.”
Hernández has been one of many extra constant energy hitters within the Majors over the previous half-decade, hitting not less than 25 homers in every of the 5 full MLB seasons since 2019. He is certainly one of simply 9 hitters to achieve the 25-homer plateau 5 instances throughout that stretch. The others are: Juan Soto, Aaron Decide, Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Schwarber, Manny Machado, Rafael Devers, Matt Olson and Pete Alonso.
Alongside together with his spectacular 2024 common season, Hernández put collectively a stable postseason efficiency throughout the Dodgers’ run to the title. He reached base safely in 15 of the membership’s 16 postseason video games, all whereas racking up three dwelling runs, 12 RBIs and 10 walks.
Given how Hernández had endeared himself to L.A. followers by repeatedly expressing his want to return, a reunion with the Dodgers appeared all however inevitable after the World Collection victory. There was reportedly a niche in negotiations between the 2 sides that got here to a head when the league-wide demand for corner-outfield assist elevated when the Soto sweepstakes got here to a record-breaking conclusion on the eve of the Winter Conferences.
With the Mets agreeing to a staggering 15-year, $765 million deal for Soto, Hernández, together with switch-hitting slugger Anthony Santander, turned one of many prime corner-outfield targets remaining on the free-agent market. Regardless, the Dodgers have been in a position to get their man — and so they wanted one other outfielder.
Whereas L.A. has a number of succesful outfielders on its 40-man roster, Hernández provides the staff the affect outfield bat it wanted with Mookie Betts transferring again to the infield in 2025. With the Winter Conferences signing of Conforto and the return of Hernández, the Dodgers’ beginning outfield seems to be set. Edman is anticipated to see most of his enjoying time in heart discipline, with Hernández and Conforto occupying the corners.
