The Dodgers' front office checked every item off its off-season shopping list, including two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow, and Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Those transactions became official over a span of 17 days in December.
The Dodgers could have thrown in the towel at that point, having "won" the offseason. However, they weren't done. After their December splurge, the Dodgers added former all-star outfielder Teoscar Hernández on a one-year contract. The Dodgers needed an extra punch from an outfield bat, and they got just that.
The immediate question around Hernández's role was, "How will he be utilized?" On Wednesday, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes clarified the plans for the 31-year-old, as Dodgers Nation's Noah Camras reported:
“We’re planning on Teo being an everyday guy,” general manager Brandon Gomes said, confirming that Hernández will get full-time at-bats, as well as playing either of the corner outfield positions. “We feel like his power and ability to really handle left-handed pitching was an exceptional fit for how our lineup is constructed.”
Hernández's contract, a one-year deal worth $23 million, became official Jan. 12. Many predicted he would sign a multi-year contract in the range of $40 to $80 million. The veteran outfielder suggested he held a similar preference at the outset of the offseason, but no offers materialized in the range he was targeting.
The Dodgers' patience might have allowed them to get a relative bargain. Hernández's 2023 season was not in line with his previous output, but he still managed a .258 batting average, 26 home runs, 93 RBIs, 161 hits, and a .741 OPS — his lowest since his rookie season with the Houston Astros in 2016.
Hernández will likely be playing in one of the corner outfield positions, bat somewhere in the middle of the lineup, and collect RBIs without the pressure of a multi-year contract.
The Dodgers are a deep team. In any other season, for another team, Hernández would be THE signing of the off-season. In Los Angeles, he's the fourth-largest acquisition of the winter, evidence of the offseason spending spree the Dodgers enjoyed.
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