Teoscar Hernández re-signs with Dodgers for three years, $66 million, per reports

12/27/2024 07:14 PM

The Dodgers continue their holiday shopping theme by signing Hernández for three years with a $15 million fourth-year option.

Teoscar Hernández truly excelled on his one-year deal with the Dodgers in 2024 and parlayed that excellence into a bigger payday as a free agent. Per Jeff Passan on Friday, the outcome that made the most sense from the start came to fruition with the outfielder returning to the Dodgers on a three-year, $66 million contract.

As reported, the deal includes an option for a fourth year for $15 million and, in a bit of a theme, contains roughly $23 million in deferred money and a $23 million signing bonus.

Hernández announced "I'm back" via Instagram when news broke of the signing. The team has yet to announce the signing.

If there was any sort of logjam in the outfield free agent market, that thought cleared up after the Mets signed Juan Soto on December 11 to a massive 15-year, $765 million deal. Moreso when the Dodgers already signed an outfielder during the winter meetings, bringing in Michael Conforto, a left-handed batter, on a one-year deal.

With Mookie Betts returning to the infield in 2025, their offseason outfield shopping list was more than one deep. As of now, one would expect Hernández to slide back into left field, with Conforto playing in right field.

Hernández hit .272/.339/.501 with a 135 wRC+ and lead National League outfielders in home runs (33) and RBI (99), while starting the All-Star Game, earning second-team All-MLB honors, and won his third career Silver Slugger Award. He received a $1 million bonus for the latter as part of his one-year, $23.5 million contract with the Dodgers.

The veteran outfielder also led the Dodgers in hits (49), home runs (11), and RBI (71) with runners in scoring position. Hitting behind the big three of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman surely helped, as Hernández's 203 plate appearances with runners in scoring position were second-most in the majors, but he did excel in those situations, hitting .288/.396/.547 with a 160 wRC+.

Hernández's arguably biggest swing for the Dodgers came in Game 5 of the World Series against the New York Yankees as the capper to the madness of the top of the now-historic fifth inning.

With Hernández, the Dodgers' big three was really a big four.

"He put himself in a very good position as a free agent in his walk year, having a very productive year," manager Dave Roberts said of Hernández at the winter meetings. "He's got some decisions to make as well, so he's going to kind of suss those out. It'd be hard for me not to see him coming back."

Against left-handers, Hernández hit .290/.357/.574 with a 154 wRC+, the latter ranking 15th among qualified major league batters. Over the last three seasons, dating back to 202, Hernández ranks 13th with a 147 wRC+ against southpaws.

It was a better experience for Hernández this time around in free agency, as he found the multi-year deal that failed to materialize to his liking last winter. This year he was considered one of the top 10-15 free agents on the market by various rankings, with some contract projections ranging from between $60-72 million over three years.

Hernández expressed interest in returning to the Dodgers, who also expressed a willingness to sign him.

"The Dodgers are the priority obviously," Hernández told reporters on November 2 after the championship parade concluded at Dodger Stadium. "I'm going to do everything in my power to come back."

The outfielder rejected the team's qualifying offer on November 19, a procedural move that would have given the Dodgers a compensatory draft pick after the fourth round in 2025 had Hernández signed with another team. Nevertheless, the sides settled into an impasse that was finally bridged mid-Friday afternoon as the Dodgers continued their theme of holiday acquisitions.

Hernández is the fifth contract signed by the Dodgers this offseason. Pitcher Blake Snell joined Los Angeles for five years and $182 million. Tommy Edman's five-year contract added four years and $64.5 million to his previous deal for 2025. Conforto signed for one year, $17 million, and reliever Blake Treinen returned to Los Angeles for $22 million over two years.

Sunflower seeds should be flying out of the Dodger dugout for the foreseeable future as the Dodgers have finally secured the continued services of one of their key contributors from the championship campaign.

In times like these, it is important to remember that all good things come to those who wait.