The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting ready a backup plan for the potential departure of outfielder Teoscar Hernández, which may intervene with Boston Crimson Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow’s offseason blueprint.
Breslow acknowledged Boston’s want so as to add a right-handed bat to the lineup, each by his phrases and the group’s ties to free-agent choices, together with Hernández.
However Los Angeles, recent off a World Collection victory and loaded with a roster that includes Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, isn’t keen to let go of the rope. The Dodgers are getting ready to lose Hernández, however have already begun wanting into right-hand hitting replacements, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, simply in case.
Hernández, this previous season’s House Run Derby champion, put collectively an incredible first season with the Dodgers by hitting .272 with a career-high 33 residence runs and 99 RBIs. The 2-time All-Star isn’t going to command a Juan Soto-priced contract however Hernández does have sufficient of a requirement to hunt a multi-year deal. He’s at present searching for signing a three-year deal between $66 million and $72 million, in response to Rosenthal.
If Hernández does bid farewell to the Dodgers, it may pressure a domino impact that may lead Los Angeles to compete with the Crimson Sox for a substitute. Names equivalent to Alex Bregman, Nolan Arenado and Randal Grichuk have surfaced in connection to Boston and will turn into targets for the Dodgers within the coming weeks.
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Los Angeles is well-equipped to stay the favourite within the Nationwide League and hasn’t proven indicators of hitting the brakes on its spending habits. The group added left-handed pitcher Blake Snell — who caught Boston’s curiosity — to a five-year, $182 million deal in free company and is rumored to be among the many franchises seeking to safe a gathering with 23-year-old Japanese pitcher Roski Sasaki.
Boston may take this improvement as an indication to get pressing in signing or buying and selling for a right-handed bat earlier than the itchy-spending Dodgers become involved. The Crimson Sox have made strides by including Aroldis Chapman to their bullpen and Garrett Crochet to their rotation however like Los Angeles, Boston must execute a backup plan after shedding its 2024 residence run chief to free company — Tyler O’Neill signed with the Baltimore Orioles.
The Crimson Sox are left-handed heavy with Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Triston Casas and Masataka Yoshida filling up the lineup. That also leaves a void to be full of O’Neill’s 31-home run energy now crossing division-rival strains with Baltimore and whereas Hernández isn’t the one resolution, that shouldn’t immediate Breslow and the entrance workplace to get too snug and overly affected person.
The Dodgers confirmed their true colours final offseason and the Snell signing solely demonstrated that they’re keen to endure a bidding warfare — if crucial — with anybody and everybody within the league.
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