Outfielder Teoscar Hernández and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on a three-year, $66 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal includes a fourth-year option for $15 million, a little more than $23 million in deferred money and a $23 million signing bonus.
The Dodgers sign former Blue Jay Teoscar Hernández to a three-year deal
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Dec 27, 2024, 19:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 27, 2024, 18:59 EST
The Los Angeles Dodgers have gotten stronger.
On Friday evening, it was reported by Jeff Passan that the Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Teoscar Hernández to a three-year, $66 million deal with some – you guessed it – deferred money.
Last season with the Dodgers, Hernández slashed .272/.339/.501 with a career-high 33 home runs in 652 plate appearances, with a 134 wRC+ and a 3.5 fWAR. He helped the Dodgers to their first World Series since 2020, slashing .250/.352/.417 with three home runs in 71 postseason plate appearances for a 119 wRC+.
Hernández got his start with the Toronto Blue Jays though, as they traded for him before the 2017 trade deadline. He broke out in 2020, slashing .289/.340/.579 with 16 home runs in 207 plate appearances during the COVID-impacted season.
In 2021, the outfielder had his career year, slashing .296/.346/.524 with 32 home runs in 595 plate appearances for a 132 wRC+ and a 4 fWAR. Unfortunately, the Jays missed the postseason that year, but he managed to hit two home runs in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series in 2022.
That game would be Hernández’s last as a Blue Jay, as they traded him to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for reliever Erik Swanson and prospect Adam Macko. It was a rough 2023 for Hernández, and he signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers in free agency in the 2023-24 off-season.
It had been reported by numerous sources that the Blue Jays were interested in a reunion with Hernández. Now, their focus on acquiring a power-hitting outfielder can solely be placed on Anthony Santander. His 44 home runs were the most of any free agent, even ahead of Juan Soto, while his total was only behind Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.
Time will tell what the Blue Jays do this off-season, but it’s clear after the disastrous 2024 season they need to add an impact bat or two at the bare minimum. As for the Dodgers, they’re still seen as the front-runners to sign Rōki Sasaki, so that’s great.
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.
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