MLB contract grades: Dodgers round out lineup with ideal Teoscar Hernandez reunion

The worst-kept secret in baseball is finally official. From pretty much the moment the 2024 World Series ended — a World Series in which he slashed .350/.381/.550 with a homer and four RBI in five games — Teoscar Hernandez wasn't shy about letting everyone know just how much he wanted to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency this winter.

Granted, things took a little longer than expected. Winter Meetings came and went without a deal, and as a gap persisted between Hernandez's asking price and what Los Angeles was willing to pay, rival suitors like the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees could convince themselves that maybe there was an opportunity to pry the slugger away.

On Friday night, though, the Dodgers finally saw the light, and Hernandez is back in Chavez Ravine on a three-year, $66 million contract that includes a $15 million option for a fourth year. The outfielder himself announced the move on Instagram:

And of course, this being the Dodgers, there's a substantial amount of deferred money involved — $23 million, to be precise.

But was this the right move for the Dodgers to make, and is this the right deal to hand out? Let's dive in.

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Grading the Teoscar Hernandez contract for the Los Angeles Dodgers

For as imposing as the Dodgers roster looked a few hours ago, Andrew Friedman was still in need of a corner outfielder, preferably one who could slot behind Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in the middle of L.A.'s lineup. With Mookie Betts moving to shortstop full-time in 2025, the Dodgers had Tommy Edman in center field, a Michael Conforto/Andy Pages platoon in right and ... not a whole lot in left, beyond veteran utilityman Chris Taylor.

Hernandez checks that box and then some, offering an even more reliable and slightly more well-rounded set of skills than the other option still available on the market, Anthony Santander. And while the Dodgers do seem to have finally caved a little bit toward Hernandez's asking price, this will still hardly break the bank for a team that has printed money ever since Ohtani come on board last offseason. L.A. was well over the luxury tax already, but that's hardly an impediment for arguably the healthiest organization in all of baseball.

The Dodgers needed Hernandez, and Hernandez clearly wanted to be a Dodger, presumably turning down similar offers from other teams to return to Los Angeles. He doesn't offer a ton of defensive or base-running value, but as long as he's good for 30 homers a year, the Dodgers won't mind.

Grade: A-