Dodgers are defining going ‘all in’ this offseason
Teoscar Hernandez officially signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, surprising some. The Dodgers are aiming to build a World Series-winning team with a historic offseason.
This organization right now defines the term “all in” when it comes to pursuing a championship. A payroll exceeding $300 million due to the acquisitions of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and now Hernandez.
I expect Hernandez to thrive in the Dodgers’ lineup, which could arguably be the best in baseball. With additional protection for Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Ohtani, the Dodgers boast an offense with 20-plus home run potential throughout the batting order.
Hernandez could have been a key player in the heart of the order elsewhere. But made a bold decision by signing a one-year deal, possibly to secure a ring in a “lesser role.” I say that in quotes because theoretically, Hernandez’s production shouldn’t diminish due to the bigger stars around him like basketball.
What’s Next?:
In Hernandez’s case, joining the Dodgers presents the best and clearest opportunity in his career to win a World Series. Not being considered the face of the offense might allow him to quietly put up impressive numbers in a potential bounce-back season, with the option to explore other opportunities next season.&nbsp;
Despite the Dodgers’ great lineup, one concern that may be overlooked is Hernandez’s limited and imbalance in playoff production. In the 2020 playoffs with the Toronto Blue Jays, he struggled in a two-game sweep by the Rays where he went 1-for-7 with four strikeouts. However, he showed improvement in 2022 with a 2-for-8 performance, including two home runs and four RBIs in a sweep by the Mariners.
While this may be a non-factor, with superstars Freeman and Betts hitting a combined 2-for-21 in last year’s playoffs. Some players on this Dodgers squad will have to showcase some playoff magic come next October.
I stress again to not believe it is a foregone conclusion that the Dodgers are winning the World Series this year. They have had a tremendous offseason, to say the least. However, this is baseball where anything can happen in a 162-game season, and in the monster that is playoff baseball.
Counting out the other contenders or any team for that matter right now is pessimistic; there are still more moves to come before the season starts up once again.
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