There has been a lot of drama surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers following their blockbuster signing of San Francisco Giants ace Blake Snell. A majority of the complaints surround the deferred money that Los Angeles has dealt out, led by Shohei Ohtani and Snell’s contracts.
But this deferred money has created the cap space necessary to continue to add stars. This includes leaving the door open to a reunion with outfielder Teoscar Hernández, who was incredible in one year with the Dodgers.
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Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly recently predicted that the Dodgers, due to this deferred money, will be able to re-sign Hernández. Spotrac projects Hernández to sign a contract worth $71 million over three years.
“With that said, the Dodgers extended a qualifying offer to Hernández, which he declined. That means any team other than LA that signs him will have to surrender draft pick compensation,” Kelly wrote. “For as loaded as the Dodgers are, they still have question marks in the outfield, particularly if Mookie Betts is moving back to the infield. A return to the Dodgers on a three-year deal would make the most sense for everyone.”
Why would Hernandez not want to be in Los Angeles? If the Dodgers can make the money work, the star outfielder should return and he shouldn’t even listen to other offers.
There’s no better situation for the right-handed slugger and there’s no better player for the Dodgers at this price tag. I’ve had my doubts about the Dodgers’ ability to afford Hernández, but if it’s possible, Kelly will likely prove to be correct here.
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