Dodgers Shrewd Move: LA Could Pull Off Stunning Coup by…

The Los Angeles Dodgers don’t necessarily need any more big free-agent signings, but there’s still one more that most fans would love to see.

After winning their second World Series championship in the last five years, the Dodgers could be on the verge of a dynasty. Their roster is stacked to the brim with talent, yet it was a one-year contract they handed out last offseason that helped carry them to glory.

Outfielder Teoscar Hernández, who came to the Dodgers after a down year with the Seattle Mariners, was terrific in his lone year in LA. He crushed 33 home runs in the regular season, setting a new career high, then had some massive clutch hits for the Dodgers throughout October.

Hernández quickly endeared himself to Dodgers fans, and at the World Series parade, it was clear from his words how much it would mean to him to return to the team on a long-term contract. But will there be any more room in the budget for the star to come back?

Insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes there’s a strong chance, as he paired the Dodgers with Hernández in his suggested free-agent fits column on Friday. Bowden also projected Hernández for a three-year, $75 million contract.

“In the early going this offseason, the Dodgers have made free-agent splash, landing Blake Snell on a five-year contract. Next up could be a reunion with Hernández, who posted a 137 OPS+ for them last season,” Bowden said.

“Hernández, 32, could get more money and a longer-term contract elsewhere, but with a chance to win more championships as part of this star-studded group, he might be willing to stay put and take a three-year deal in this range.”

To be fair, there’s no guarantee the Dodgers won’t have the highest offer for Hernández. But there are lots of teams that are starved enough for talent that they’d likely be willing to overpay him, while he’s destined to be the fourth-best hitter on LA’s outrageously talented roster.

Regardless, an emotional advantage plays a key role in a free agent’s decision, and LA possesses one here. And as an added bonus, Hernández already accepted deferred money from the Dodgers the first time around, so it’s likely he’ll be willing to do so again.