Enrique Hernandez is again with the Dodgers. Los Angeles introduced they’ve acquired the utilityman (together with money concerns) from the Pink Sox for relievers Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman. Boston is reportedly paying down $2.5MM of the approximate $3.6MM remaining on Hernandez’s contract.
Hernandez, 31, is struggling via one of many worst seasons of his profession, batting simply .222/.279/.320 in 323 plate appearances. The offseason damage of Trevor Story — which required elbow surgical procedure — prompted the Sox to maneuver Hernandez from middle discipline to shortstop. The outcomes weren’t fairly, with Hernandez returning to a place he’d barely performed since 2018 and posting among the lowest defensive grades of any participant at any place (-6 Defensive Runs Saved, -13 Outs Above Common in simply 484 innings).
The extent to which the defensive struggles additionally impacted Hernandez’s mindset on the plate can’t be identified, however his manufacturing hasn’t dipped to this degree because the 2016 season. He’s hitting .260 in opposition to left-handed pitching — albeit with a lowly .314 OBP and .338 slugging proportion — however has been a nonfactor in opposition to right-handed pitching (.209/.266/.314).
Struggles on either side of the ball however, Hernandez is a profession .259/.346/.465 hitter in opposition to southpaws. The Dodgers will hope {that a} return to the crew he known as house for almost all of his profession can deliver a couple of turnaround on the plate and/or on the sector. Los Angeles has hit properly in opposition to lefties as a crew, however that’s usually been regardless of poor manufacturing from a forged of outfielders that has appeared misplaced in opposition to southpaws.
All of David Peralta, Trayce Thompson and Jason Heyward have struggled in that regard. James Outman is getting on base at a .366 tempo in opposition to lefties however not hitting for energy and putting out at a 34% clip. Chris Taylor has gotten on base at a lowly .268 price however no less than hits lefties for energy.
There’s no assure that Hernandez will enhance the crew’s total manufacturing in opposition to southpaws, however he’s a low-cost roll of the cube as a bench participant who’s had success in simply this kind of restricted position earlier than — with this very crew, no much less. On condition that the Dodgers have been biking via journeyman like Yonny Hernandez and Jake Marisnick on the bench, there’s some sense to searching for lower-cost stability. Hernandez figures to be a boon within the clubhouse on the very least, and any huge early hits following the swap will clearly be well-received by a fanbase with which he was standard throughout his final tenure. There’s minimal threat in displacing Hernandez, although the Dodger devoted will certainly be hoping this commerce is merely a footnote amongst a bigger slate of deadline transactions somewhat than a focus of the entrance workplace’s strategy to upgrading the roster.
For the Pink Sox, with Story nearing a return, they’ll subtract Hernandez from their glut of middle-infield and outfield choices. Jarren Duran’s emergence in middle discipline put a severe dent in Hernandez’s position with the crew — notably with Masataka Yoshida and Alex Verdugo locked into the corners. Yu Chang is a extra versatile infield defender, in the meantime, and the Sox apparently want to proceed giving the extra controllable Christian Arroyo alternatives over Hernandez — a pending free agent enjoying on a one-year, $10MM contract extension he signed final winter.
Per Roster Useful resource, the Dodgers had a $228MM payroll and $245MM luxury-tax invoice previous to the commerce. Tacking on roughly $1.1MM gained’t put them anyplace close to the third tier of luxury-tax penalization, which begins at $273MM and is the purpose at which groups see their prime choose within the following 12 months’s draft pushed again by 10 spots. As a third-time luxurious tax offender within the midst of the primary penalty bracket, the Dodgers would pay a 50% dollar-for-dollar tax on all overages. As such, Hernandez’s remaining $1.1MM really quantities to about $1.65MM when it comes to complete expenditure.
In return for selecting up the majority of the tab, Boston lands a pair pitchers who add desired right-handed center reduction depth. Robertson, 25, is on the 40-man roster and has made 9 huge league appearances for Los Angeles this season. The rookie righty has allowed 10 runs (seven earned) over his first 10 1/3 frames. He’s fanned 13 in opposition to 4 walks, although, lacking bats at an honest 11.4% clip. Robertson is a fastball-changeup pitcher who has averaged a bit of underneath 95 MPH on his heater in his transient MLB look.
He’s having a wonderful 12 months in Triple-A. Over 28 1/3 innings with the Dodgers’ prime affiliate in Oklahoma Metropolis, the 6’6″ hurler owns a 2.54 ERA. Robertson has punched out a wonderful 37.5% of batters confronted on the prime minor league degree, the place he’s additionally inducing grounders on half the batted balls he permits. The previous seventh-round choose owns a 3.54 ERA with a 30% strikeout price over components of 4 minor league campaigns. He’ll begin his Boston tenure on non-obligatory task to Triple-A Worcester however may very well be recalled to work out of the massive league bullpen at any level.
Hagenman has by no means performed within the majors. Like Robertson, he’s having a robust 12 months in Triple-A. Via 55 innings unfold over 25 appearances, the 26-year-old righty has a 2.78 ERA. He’s punching hitters out at a stable 27% clip whereas protecting his walks to a tidy 5% price. The Penn State product went unselected in final 12 months’s Rule 5 draft after posting a 6.08 ERA in Triple-A; he’d be eligible for the Rule 5 once more subsequent winter however has a superb likelihood to earn a spot on the Sox’s 40-man roster earlier than then after his significantly better second season on the prime minor league degree.
David Vassegh of SportsNet Los Angeles famous this afternoon the Sox and Dodgers have been discussing Hernandez trades. Ken Rosenthal and Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic first reported the Dodgers have been buying Hernandez. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported the Pink Sox would obtain two higher minors reduction pitchers. Chris Cotillo of MassLive first urged Robertson and Hagenman have been doubtlessly concerned within the deal. Tom Caron of NESN confirmed Hagenman’s inclusion, whereas Jeff Passan of ESPN first confirmed the bundle was Robertson and Hagenman. Speier was first to report the money concerns.
Picture courtesy of USA As we speak Sports activities.
