The Los Angeles lastly obtained their fan favourite outfielder again, but it surely got here on the expense of Teoscar Hernández leaving cash on the desk.
Hernández had spent over half a decade with the Toronto Blue Jays when he was traded to the Seattle Mariners earlier than the 2023 season, his ultimate 12 months of arbitration eligibility. After a down season, he was searching for a multi-year deal and probably a brand new dwelling.
Hernández additionally needed to discover a group the place he couldn’t solely reinvent himself and as soon as once more present the baseball world of his expertise, but additionally play significant postseason baseball.
Though his agent Rafa Nieves mentioned on X that the unique plan was a three-year deal, Nieves noticed that “that deal may not exist” within the present market earlier than the beginning of the 2024 marketing campaign.
The agent requested the 31-year-old outfielder what his priorities had been if he did in truth take a short-term deal, and “he mentioned he needed to win and play deep into October, so we pivoted and targeted on getting the most effective brief time period deal on the most effective group .”
Los Angeles definitely checked off these bins after which some, all whereas Hernández put up profession numbers.
Hernández completed the 2024 marketing campaign with a brand new career-high in dwelling runs (33) and wins above substitute (4.3). He additionally received his first profession House Run Derby, whereas turning into the primary in historical past to earn the crown. Lastly, and maybe most significantly, he performed deep into October and received his first World Sequence trophy.
Though the final word purpose was achieved, this season was about a lot greater than merely including worth to his subsequent contract. Thus, getting into this offseason, Hernández wasn’t apprehensive concerning the cash.
“I used to be going to do every thing in my energy to come back again,” Hernández mentioned Friday in his re-introductory press convention. “For me, cash wasn’t a problem… I may’ve gotten $5 or $6 extra (million) from different groups, however if you happen to put me in a spot the place I needed to resolve, I’d resolve to come back again due to the way in which this group is. The way in which this group treats household and the gamers, and that for me is extra vital than something.”
Hernández has made his loyalty very clear and continues to behave on his convictions set from the 2023 offseason: To win, and to win in October.
With the already making reinforcements to a championship group like bringing in Cy Younger successful pitcher Blake Snell, it appears as if one other deep October run is extra anticipated than ever.
Photograph Credit score: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Photographs
Have you ever subscribed to our channel? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to remain updated on all the newest information, rumors, interviews, livestreams, and extra!
