While Scott Boras faces criticism for his missteps during the 2023-24 offseason, another agent and client are celebrating their successful strategy.
Teoscar Hernández, the left fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is one of baseball’s more underrated hitters. Despite hitting 159 career home runs and having a 118 OPS+ before this season, he surprisingly signed a one-year, $23.5 million contract with L.A. in January.
This deal has turned out to be beneficial for both parties, particularly for the 32-year-old Hernández, according to his agent. Rafa Nieves from Republik Sports shared insights in a detailed post on X on October 13, coinciding with the NL Championship Series against the New York Mets. He highlighted why Hernández is grateful for opting for the one-year contract, which includes $8.5 million in deferred payments starting in July 2030, paid out in ten installments. “Nine months ago, every agent criticized me and Teo for choosing a one-year deal.
The reality was that the market was weak, and he had just come off a poor season in a pitcher-friendly setting. We aimed for a three-year contract, but when it became clear that wasn’t feasible, I asked him what mattered most to him. He said he wanted to win and play deep into October, so we shifted our focus to securing the best short-term deal with a competitive team. Fast forward nine months: – Career-high home runs – Career-high wRC+ – Career-high rWAR – An All-Star selection – Home Run Derby Champion – Best regular season record in MLB – NLCS appearance He’ll likely earn his third Silver Slugger and receive some MVP votes. Plus, he made more this year than he would have on a three-year deal and will re-enter the market after an outstanding season. Who’s laughing now?
Hernández earned his third All-Star selection in a season where he posted a .272/.339/.501 batting line, hit a career-high 33 home runs, and drove in 99 RBIs. His OPS+ of 137 marked the second-best of his career. Although he has had a tough postseason, with six hits in 32 at-bats (along with eight walks), he has managed to hit two home runs and drive in seven runs. Most notably, he’s playing in the middle of a strong lineup that is one win away from eliminating the Mets and securing a spot in the World Series, which they could achieve in Game 5 on Friday. Who wouldn’t want to be in that position?
Regarding the one-year deal versus a three-year contract and overall earnings, Nieves stated that the net present value of Hernández’s current deal was $21 million. In contrast, a three-year contract would have likely netted him $16-18 million per year. Considering the tax advantages of deferred payments, $2 million in bonuses, and $1 million for winning the Home Run Derby, Hernández is in a great position to potentially land a lucrative multi-year deal this offseason. “Honestly, I haven’t thought at all about my free agency,” Hernández said on October 9. “
Right now, I’m focused on what I can do to help this team win today, not on what’s coming tomorrow. My priority is figuring out how Teoscar Hernández can contribute to the Dodgers’ success today.”
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