While the Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t quite looked like the juggernaut they are expected to be in 2025, the defending champs are still in a good position to start this season. This group sits at 32-21 and is first in a crowded National League West division.
One player who has been an instrumental part of this franchise’s success is right fielder Teoscar Hernandez. The Dominican Republic native signed with the Dodgers in 2024 on a one-year deal, hoping to find a long-term home in the majors on essentially a prove-it contract. Hernandez did exactly that last season.
The talented righty made his second All-Star team, won a third Silver Slugger award, and was named to the All-MLB Second Team in 2024. Hernandez was additionally essential to the Dodgers’ World Series-winning run in the playoffs and re-signed with the franchise on a three-year, $66 million deal this past offseason.
Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly subsequently re-graded this current deal as an A- giving the following justification:
“Teoscar Hernandez did miss some time earlier this month with a left groin strain, but otherwise is off to an excellent start in his second season with the Dodgers, hitting .310 with 10 home runs, 41 RBI and a .934 OPS,” Kelly explains.
“A big part of Hernandez’s value is driving in runs, so he’s much more valuable to a team like the Dodgers with a star-studded lineup than he would be on a team expecting him to be their top offensive producer. But given how he’s performed since joining the Dodgers, a three-year, $66 million commitment for Hernandez seems like a bargain.”
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Kelly additionally details how Hernandez’s locker room presence has been essential for team chemistry during his time there. While the 32-year-old is not an elite defensive player by any means, neither is the Mets’ star signing this offseason, Juan Soto, and look at the contract he just received.
Overall, Hernandez’s return to the City of Angels is a phenomenal deal for the Dodgers. Should he stay healthy, the two-time All-Star will continue to be one of the main reasons why this group is a serious threat to repeat as World Series champions.
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