1708982123 Dodgers sign Enrique Hernandez to one year contract

Dodgers sign Enrique Hernández to one-year contract

The Dodgers are close to re-signing the utility player Enrique HernandezPer Fabian Ardaya and Ken Rosenthal of The Athleticalthough it appears to depend on the reported commercial shipment Manuel Margot until the twins are ready. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, it will be a one-year deal for Hernández. According to Hernández himself on X, the deal appears to be done.

Dodgers sign Enrique Hernandez to one year contractDodgers sign Enrique Hernandez to one year contract

When news leaked that Margot was being traded to Minnesota, speculation almost immediately turned to Hernández. It was reported over the weekend that the Giants, Angels, Twins and Padres were interested in him, but that he would instead return to the club he played for most of his career.

Hernández, now 32, spent the years 2015 to 2020 with the Dodgers, where he was largely used as a utility man at multiple positions. During those six years, he hit .240/.312/.425, a performance that resulted in a WRC+ of 98. Although this attack was slightly below average, it still helped the club by being able to place anywhere. During this time, he played all four infield positions and all three outfield positions and even appeared on the mound.

He reached free agency at the start of 2021 and signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Red Sox. He was outstanding in the first year of this pact, hitting 20 homers and slashing .250/.337/.449 for a wRC+ of 109. He spent most of his time in center field, scoring well while also being in the starting lineup at the middle infield spots.

In 2022, his offense took a step back. He was on the injured list due to a right hip flexor strain and was out for over two months. Yet the Sox still had faith in a recovery. In September of this year, they gave him a salary of $10 million to stay until 2023. He finished 2022 with a line of .222/.291/.338, good for a wRC+ of 74.

With Trevor story Because the Sox would miss significant time in 2023 due to recovery from elbow surgery, they attempted to make Hernández their everyday shortstop, but the experiment didn't work. The defensive stats didn't like his work there, as he had a -6 defensive runs saved grade and -12 outs above average. He also hit just .222/.279/.320 before being traded back to the Dodgers at the deadline. He seemed to enjoy the return to his old stomping grounds, hitting .262/.308/.423 while bouncing all over the diamond for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers may never have fully committed to Margot since they acquired him as part of the club Tyler Glasnow Trade. The Rays wanted to move some payroll around as part of the Glasnow deal, but also saved a little more by bringing in Margot, who will be making $12 million this year in the form of a $10 million salary and then a buyout He is entitled to a club option of $2 million for 2025.

The Dodgers are expected to have a regular outfield of James Outman, Teoscar Hernandez And Jason Heyward this year. Margot and his right-handed bat could have partnered with Heyward, who had a breakout year in 2023 while largely protected from southpaws, but the Dodgers also have other options for that role. Right-handed Chris Taylor is also on the roster and now Hernández will join him, giving the club two players who can keep up with Heyward while also giving them some depth in the infield.

The Dodgers will have a middle infield combination Gavin Lux at shortstop and Mookie Betts at second base. The former missed all of 2023 after tearing his ACL and damaging the ACL in his right knee, while Betts only recently moved to the infield after spending most of his career in right field. Miguel Rojas is on the roster as a glove-first depth option and Taylor is there as well, but Hernández can fill in while also filling Margot's role as the fourth outfielder.

The Dodgers are above the fourth and final line of the competitive balance tax and are payers for the third time. This means that all funds added to payroll are now subject to a 110% tax rate. However, depending on the final details of this deal and the Margot trade, they could still save money today. Roster Resource currently puts its CBT figure at $304 million, with the fourth tier this year at $297 million. The calculations will certainly change as the details of today's transactions emerge.