Earlier this year, Teoscar Hernandez signed a one-year, $23.5 million contract to join the Los Angeles Dodgers. And while certainly trying to prove his worth to potential suitors this coming winter, Hernandez has put together one of the best seasons of his career.
The soon-to-be-32-year-old is just about to eclipse 100 RBIs on the year, which has seen Hernandez earn his second All-Star selection and help the Dodgers to yet another NL West title. Now, as the season is coming to a close and the playoffs approaching, Hernandez reflected on his signing and subsequent season in Dodger Blue.
“That was one of the best decisions I made in the offseason. Everybody was saying it was a bad deal because it was a one-year deal, but for me what is important is to get better and win. I'm glad that I'm here,” Hernandez said, via The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya.
This season, Hernandez has recorded 33 home runs (a career-high), 99 RBIs (second-most of his career), 53 walks (career-high), and 84 runs (second-most) while sporting batting splits of .270 AVG / .338 OBP / .501 / .839 OPS. He trails only Shohei Ohtani on the Dodgers in terms of slugging percentage and total bases this year.
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Hernandez will likely sign a longer-term deal after the season, with the Dodgers or otherwise. The club has committed a ton of money to many other position players in the lineup — Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith have signed contracts over the past four seasons worth a combined $1.37 billion — and have done similarly with pitchers, as seen with Yoshinobu Yamamoto's $325 million and Tyler Glasnow's $136.6 million deals this past offseason.
Even if the Dodgers keep on spending in free agency, they may commit their resources elsewhere on the field and choose not to re-sign Hernandez, who will turn 32 years old in a few weeks, to a long-term extension. On the flip side, Hernandez may be able to earn an even more lucrative contract outside of L.A. as well after such a successful season with the Dodgers.
