MLB Updates: LA Dodgers’ Latest Signing Reveals Secret Hopes for 2024 Season, Expresses Championship Desire

The Los Angeles Dodgers are unstoppable. Till now, in the offseason, they’ve signed deals worth over $1.2 billion. Despite building a superstar squad, the team isn’t sitting still; they’re still active in the market. The one weakness of their roster was the heavy domination of left-handed hitters, so the Blue Crew has decided to address that issue as well.

In an offseason where most teams are being cautious, the Dodgers are operating on a different plane. With every addition bringing a story with them, their latest signing, Teoscar Hernandez, is looking to bring a redemption tale to the mix.

Theo Hernandez hopes to find rebirth with the Los Angeles Dodgers

There was a time when Teoscar Hernandez was one of the best right-handers in the league. During his six-year stint with the Toronto Blue Jays, the slugger went from strength to strength. Posting continuous 20 home runs plus seasons, he was a hugely successful slugger, but things changed for him with the Seattle Mariners. His OPS dropped from a lofty .823 to a dismal .741. So Hernandez hopes that his deal with the Dodgers will help him regain his lost form.

“I had more choices, but I think this was best for me and my family. I’d rather take one year with the Dodgers and go to a team that is going to make me better,” Hernandez said to The Athletic.

After signing a one-year, $23.5 million deal, Hernandez chose the Dodgers over the Boston Red Sox. His reasons were simple: the Dodgers’ hunger for victory. In them, Hernandez saw a hope of winning the World Series, and he latched on to that. But another minor reason is the fact that Hernandez feels he can make a big impact on this team.

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What brought on Hernandez’s relative downfall in 2023 wasn’t his form but T-Mobile Park. His OPS at home was .643, but away it rose to .830. The slugger had the quality but was playing for the Mariners, whose stadium has always been unfavorable for the righties. So a change of scenery could lead to Hernandez getting back his mojo. Something that the Dodgers would need.

How did the Blue Crew benefit from the slugger?

Before Hernandez’s signing, the Blue Crew seemed overly dependent on Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani for hitting. Simultaneously, besides Betts, they were quite short on right-handers. This could’ve easily been exploited by rivals. Hernandez not only provides a much-needed right hand but is also a player who has always been a huge slugger.

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Also, with just a year-long deal, the Boys in Blue have ensured that this deal remains a minimal risk for them. Even if Hernandez fails to regain his lost form, the team won’t have to worry about his impact on their payroll in the future. So in a way, this is a win-win deal for everyone.