Max Langer
Continuing with our DodgersBeat Position Preview is right field, which is expected to be held down by Teoscar Hernandez, who will be moving from primarily playing left field after the Dodgers decided to move Mookie Betts to the shortstop position.
Hernandez’s Impact
To say Teoscar Hernandez was a godsend to the Los Angeles Dodgers last season would be an understatement. After signing a one-year, $23 million dollar contract in January of 2024, the Dominican outfielder immediately had an impact on the club. He was a huge part of the clubhouse, befriending many of the team’s newest acquisitions while also being an everyday player.
He also made a massive impact in the postseason. In the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Hernandez drove in the winning runs in Game 1, smashed a grand slam off of Michael King in Game 3, and homered off of Yu Darvish in the 7th inning of the decisive Game 5. Then, in the World Series against the New York Yankees, he hit a two-run homer off of Carlos Rodon in Game 2 and drove in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman with a game-tying double against Gerrit Cole in the 5th inning of the clinching Game 5. LA’s front office rewarded him for his contributions, and the Dodgers and Hernandez agreed on a three-year, $66 million dollar contract last December.
Prior Numbers/Projections
While Hernandez had always been a productive player as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners, he didn’t blossom quite like he did his first year at Chavez Ravine. Last year, Hernandez had a .272/.339/.501 slash line, with a WRC+ of 134, 34% better than the league-average hitter. He homered 33 times in the regular season and drove in 99 runs, He also had an OPS of .840, and a 4.3 WAR, or Wins Above Replacement.
This season, according to Fangraphs’ ZiPS projections, Hernandez is projected to put up a slash line of .267/.325/.469, with a WRC+ of 121. He’s also projected to hit 28 home runs with 100 RBIs. In terms of his defensive metrics, Hernandez is slated to be a below-average fielder, though he did record seven assists compared to three errors in left field last year (including throwing out Giancarlo Stanton in Game 3 of the World Series). Hernandez has said on multiple occasions he thinks his best position is in right field, so while you can expect his defensive numbers to improve, don’t wait around for him to win a Gold Glove.
Other Options
If Hernandez goes down via injury, is traded, plays himself out of the starting job, or any number of unfortunate possibilities that would result in him being unable to play right field every day, here are some other options:
Andy Pages, who the Dodgers brought up in May of 2024 to replace the fading James Outman, could slide over to right. While Pages primarily played center field last year with Jason Heyward in right, both Outman and Tommy Edman will likely command time in the center this season, with Michael Conforto expected to get the lion’s share of starts in left. If Hernandez can’t play right, Pages could definitely be a button the Dodgers press.
As always, both Kiké Hernandez and Chris Taylor, LA’s utility players, could play right in a pinch. They’ve both played outfield over the course of their careers, and while they wouldn’t be able to match Teoscar’s offensive output, they would get by defensively and could provide a spark against left-handed pitching.
The last option could be Mookie Betts moving back to right. Again. Last year, the Dodgers moved Betts back to right field for a myriad of reasons. He wasn’t playing a very good defensive shortstop; both Miguel Rojas and Gavin Lux were playing really well, Jason Heyward was struggling and eventually cut, and Betts is a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder. The Dodgers moved him back to right field, resulting in a World Series championship. If Betts struggles or Hernandez is injured, we very well could see #50 back in right field before the season ends.
DodgersBeat Grade: A-
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