As Passan acknowledged, the deal additionally features a fourth-year possibility for $15 million, somewhat greater than $23 million in deferred cash and a $23 million signing bonus.
Though Hernandez was an enormous catalyst towards the Dodgers successful the 2024 World Sequence, the 2 sides had been unable to land on a brand new deal till now, regardless of the outfielder’s need to return to the workforce.
The free agent market valued Hernandez too low to signal a long-term deal when he first signed with the Dodgers earlier than the 2024 season, which resulted in him signing a one-year, $23.5 million contract with $8.5 million deferred.
Hernandez improved in practically each statistical class in 2024 compared to the 2023 season with the Seattle Mariners.
In fewer at-bats, Hernandez had a .272 common, 33 dwelling runs, 99 RBIs, 32 doubles and 84 runs. The house runs and RBIs had been each profession highs for Hernandez.
Hernandez’s World Sequence heroics could have been the most important spotlight of his 2024 season. Hernandez hit a two-run double within the Recreation 5 title clincher and hit a Recreation 2 dwelling run, which gave Los Angeles a lead that it held the remainder of the sport.
Of the 125 hitters which have at the very least 2,500 plate appearances since 2018, Hernandez is seventeenth in dwelling runs, twenty first in RBIs and fortieth in OPS+.
After dropping ace Walker Buehler on a $21 million cope with the Boston Crimson Sox in free company, the Dodgers had been in a position to signal Blake Snell to pair with the proficient pitchers nonetheless on the roster for subsequent season. Los Angeles additionally re-signed high reliever Blake Treinen. By signing Hernandez to a brand new deal, the Dodgers now have lately acquired Michael Conforto at proper area and Hernandez probably at left area.
The deferred cash ought to come as no shock, given $680 million of Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million was deferred, along with Mookie Betts ($115 million), Will Smith ($50 million), Freddie Freeman ($57 million), Snell ($62 million) and Tommy Edman ($25 million).
After benefiting from the one-year deal, Hernandez returns to the Dodgers on the heels of a profession yr and a World Sequence title to go together with it.
