The LA Dodgers, who are continuing their unprecedented run in the Stove League, have opened their wallets once again. This time, heavy hitter outfielder Teoscar Hernández (32) was recruited to reinforce the batting lineup.
MLB.com, the official Major League Baseball website, quoted a source on the 8th (Korean time) and announced, "FA outfielder Hernández has agreed to a one-year contract worth $23.5 million (30.9 billion won) with the Dodgers." Another media outlet, ESPN, reported, “The Dodgers have added another All-Star hitter to the lineup that is already considered a candidate to win the World Series.”
Hernández, who debuted on the big league stage with the Houston Astros in 2016, began to reveal his potential after moving to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Hernández, who hit more than 20 home runs in two consecutive seasons in 2018 (22 home runs) and 2019 (26 home runs), recorded a batting average of 0.289, 16 home runs, 34 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.919 in 50 games in 2020, which was a shortened season, and was named American League (AL) Silver Slugger. Awarded.
In 2021, Hernández, who swung a bat with a batting average of 0.296, 32 home runs, 116 RBI, and an OPS of 0.870 in 143 games, won the AL Silver Slugger for two consecutive years and enjoyed the joy of being selected as an All-Star for the first time in his life. In 2022, Hernández's performance declined slightly with a batting average of 0.267, 25 home runs, 77 RBI, and an OPS of 0.807 in 131 games, but he still showed off his slugging power and moved to the Seattle Mariners through a trade after the end of the season. Last year, he appeared in 160 games, the most since his debut, and recorded a batting average of 0.258, 26 home runs, 93 RBI, and an OPS of 0.740, became a free agent, and was on the Dodgers' radar.
The Dodgers, who won 100 games (62 losses) last year, ranked second in the National League (NL) after the Atlanta Braves in key indicators such as team home runs (249), RBI (877), and OPS (0.795). The Dodgers, who have a brilliant batting lineup including MVP duo Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, offensive catcher Will Smith and one-hitting Max Muncy, were not satisfied with this and invested $700 million (about KRW 921.2 billion) over 10 years in 'dual sword' Shohei Ohtani, making them the best player in history. A class lineup was announced.
The hiring of Ohtani was just a signal announcing the Dodgers' aggressive move. The Dodgers acquired right-handed starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Manuel Margot from the Tampa Bay Rays through a trade, and gave Glasnow a five-year contract extension worth $136.5 million (about 179.6 billion won).
Subsequently, the Dodgers signed a 12-year, $325 million (approximately KRW 427.7 billion) contract with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, former Japanese professional baseball MVP and one of the largest pitchers in the free agent market, the largest ever for a major league pitcher. The actions of the ‘new evil empire’ Dodgers were reminiscent of the ‘evil empire’ New York Yankees, which swept away star players with enormous financial resources in the past.
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