LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers’ spectacular offseason received even higher, as All-Star outfielder Teoscar Hernández signed a one-year, $23.5 million contract, the membership introduced on Friday.
Even after including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Manuel Margot, the Dodgers had been available in the market for a right-handed-hitting outfielder that would hit lefties and maintain his personal in opposition to right-handed pitching.
Hernández was recognized as an early goal for the Dodgers this winter. The 2-time Silver Slugger had loads of different gives, together with two-year offers from the Pink Sox and Angels, based on sources, however finally selected a one-year pact with the Dodgers with a purpose to be a part of what ought to be one of many prime offenses within the Majors, maybe even one of the best.
A constant energy supply, Hernández is one in every of 12 gamers to hit not less than 25 homers in every of the previous 4 full seasons. That features his 26 dingers final 12 months with the Mariners, whom he joined following an offseason commerce from Toronto. But his 2023 season didn’t fairly stay as much as expectations for a participant who acquired MVP votes and was a Silver Slugger winner in 2020 and 2021.
Whatever the ballpark, one factor Hernández has all the time excelled at is hitting left-handed pitching, with a profession .887 OPS in opposition to southpaws. With the Dodgers, Hernández would get a lot of the begins in proper discipline in opposition to left-handers and would slide over to left discipline in opposition to right-handers, as Mookie Betts tasks to play most of his video games at second base. Chris Taylor may also get at-bats as a utility man this season.
With Hernández on board, the Dodgers will doubtless not be including any extra place gamers this winter. The membership has explored choices at shortstop, however nothing has materialized through commerce, significantly with the Brewers for Willy Adames.
After registering a wRC+ of 130 or higher in every of his remaining three years with the Blue Jays, Hernández turned in a 105 wRC+ with the Mariners. His anticipated weighted on-base common declined for the third straight 12 months, all the way down to .336, and his .741 OPS was his lowest since his 2016 debut 12 months with the Astros. Hernández noticed simply 100 at-bats with Houston earlier than he was dealt to the Blue Jays previous to the 2017 Commerce Deadline.
Plate self-discipline has by no means actually been Hernández’s forte, and that was very true final season. His chase price was a career-worst 35.2 %. He recorded a career-low 5.6% stroll price in opposition to a 31.1 % strikeout price. His 211 Okay’s and 35.8% whiff price had been every close to the highest amongst certified gamers.
Hernández usually stung the ball each time he did make contact, as evidenced by his stellar 49.4 % hard-hit price and 13.8 % barrel price. The 31-year-old actually punished four-seam fastballs to the tune of a .302 common, .659 slugging share and an especially excessive 72.4% hard-hit price.
He’s not an elite defender, however Hernández does present worth within the outfield because of his robust, correct arm in proper discipline. His 12 assists had been tied for the third most amongst all outfielders final season, and his 22 assists over the previous two seasons path solely the Nationals’ Lane Thomas.
Hernández’s most efficient full season thus far got here in ‘21, when he socked 32 homers, drove in 116 runs and compiled a .296/.346/.524 slash line with Toronto.
