Free agent utilityman Enrique Hernández is predicted to signal throughout the subsequent two to a few days, reviews Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (X hyperlink). It isn’t clear what number of groups stay available in the market.
Hernández has drawn reported curiosity from the Angels this winter. The Halos are presumably one in every of a number of groups that has touched base along with his camp. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote final month that the Angels felt Hernández would possibly desire to stay with the Dodgers after ending final season in L.A., though it’s unclear if the Dodgers have made any effort to carry him again.
The ten-year huge league veteran break up the 2023 marketing campaign between Boston and Los Angeles. Hernández received off to a tough begin with the Pink Sox, hitting solely .222/.279/.320 with six homers throughout 323 plate appearances. The Sox dealt Hernández to L.A. per week earlier than the commerce deadline. He had a greater however hardly overwhelming offensive displaying in his second stint as a Dodger. Hernández hit .262/.308/.423 over 185 journeys to the plate.
After the season, Hernández underwent hernia surgical procedure. That was a comparatively minor process that isn’t anticipated to impression him in Spring Coaching. It’s potential the damage adversely impacted Hernández’s offensive manufacturing, however he has been a below-average hitter in 4 of the final 5 seasons. For the reason that begin of 2019, he owns a .237/.305/.394 slash in additional than 2100 plate appearances.
It stays to be seen if he’ll safe an enormous league contract for what’ll be his age-32 season. The market hasn’t regarded kindly on just a few rebound hitters this week. Amed Rosario and Gio Urshela settled for $1.5MM ensures, whereas Tim Anderson landed a $5MM pact. Hernández has been a much less productive hitter during the last couple seasons than anybody from that group. He has extra defensive flexibility with the power to play anyplace within the outfield, however the Sox’s efforts to make Hernández an on a regular basis shortstop final 12 months didn’t pan out.