Teoscar Hernández is returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers after finalizing a lucrative three-year contract worth $66 million. This agreement was confirmed by a source familiar with the negotiations, who requested not to be identified since the contract is pending a successful physical examination.
Initially, Hernández pursued a three-year deal during last year’s offseason but was unable to secure one. Consequently, he and his team shifted their strategy to the best short-term opportunity from a competitively strong team. This led to a one-year contract worth $23.5 million with the Dodgers, where he became part of an impressive roster that featured stars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.
Aiming for an extended playoff run, Hernández achieved that goal as he contributed to the Dodgers’ success, culminating in a World Series title following an All-Star season. He won the Home Run Derby and notched his third Silver Slugger award, which earned him a $1 million bonus.
In his first complete season with the Dodgers, Hernández established himself as a pivotal player, recording a .272 batting average along with a career-high 33 home runs and 99 RBIs over 154 games. He expressed a deep desire to remain in Los Angeles, especially after emotionally addressing fans during the World Series celebrations at Dodger Stadium.
“I play this game to win,” he remarked during the celebrations. “And the Dodgers offered me the chance to help this team and this city achieve a championship. Thank you for making my dream come true.” Now that he is back, Hernández will aim to replicate that success, likely transitioning from left field to his preferred position in right field, as the team plans to reposition Betts into the infield next season.
During the playoffs, Hernández celebrated his 32nd birthday, where he managed a .250 batting average, hitting three home runs and driving in 12 runs over 16 games. His postseason performance varied; he struggled in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, registering only two hits in 21 at-bats with one RBI. However, he excelled in the earlier Division Series against San Diego with a .333 average and seven RBIs and later hit .350 in the World Series against the Yankees, contributing key plays that helped the Dodgers clinch the title.
With a career batting average of .263, Hernández has recorded 192 home runs, 572 RBIs, and 65 assists in the outfield over his time with the Toronto Blue Jays (2016-22), Seattle Mariners (2023), and the Dodgers. His first All-Star season came with Toronto in 2021, where he tallied 32 home runs along with career-high statistics of a .296 average and 116 RBIs.
The new deal Hernández signed with Los Angeles includes $8.5 million in deferred payments, which will be distributed in ten equal installments every July 1 from 2030 to 2039.
