Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernández
Hernández with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020
Free agent
Outfielder
Born: (1992-10-15) October 15, 1992 (age 32)
Cotuí, Sánchez Ramírez, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 12, 2016, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.263
Hits928
Home runs192
Runs batted in572
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Teoscar José Hernández (born October 15, 1992) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Hernández has won two Silver Slugger Awards and was an All-Star in 2021 and 2024. Hernández signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers in 2024 and later won the World Series with the team.

Professional career

Houston Astros

Hernández signed with the Houston Astros as an international free agent in February 2011.[1] He made his professional debut that season for the Dominican Summer League Astros, where he was named the team's MVP.[2] Hernández played in 2012 with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Astros and the Class-A Lexington Legends. He appeared in 59 total games, and recorded a .243 batting average, five home runs, 23 runs batted in (RBI), and 11 stolen bases.[3] He played the entire 2013 season with the Class-A Quad City River Bandits, and hit .271 with 13 home runs, 55 RBI, and 24 stolen bases.[3][4] During the offseason, Hernández appeared in 23 games for the Toros del Este of the Dominican Winter League.[3]

Hernández started 2014 with the Lancaster JetHawks of the Advanced-A California League, and was promoted to the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Double-A Texas League during the season.[5] In 119 games, Hernández hit .292 with 21 home runs, 85 RBI, and 33 stolen bases.[3]

Hernández played the entire 2015 season with Double-A Corpus Christi, batting .219 with 17 home runs, 48 RBI, and 33 steals in 119 games.[3] He began the 2016 season with Corpus Christi, and was promoted to the Fresno Grizzlies of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in late June.[3]

Hernández with the Astros in 2016

On August 12, 2016, the Astros promoted Hernández to the major leagues,[6] and he made his debut as the starting center fielder against the Toronto Blue Jays that day, recording two hits in four at-bats. His first big league hit was a home run off of Francisco Liriano in the sixth inning.[7] He remained with the Astros through the end of the 2016 season and hit .230 with four home runs and 11 RBI in 41 games.[8] In the minors that year, he batted .307 in 107 games, with 10 home runs, 53 RBI, and 34 stolen bases.[3]

Hernández was optioned to Triple-A Fresno to begin the 2017 season[9] but was recalled on April 25 to replace an injured Jake Marisnick.[10] However, he was injured in a collision with teammate Jose Altuve in his first game and went on the disabled list.[11]

Toronto Blue Jays

On July 31, 2017, the Astros traded Hernández and Nori Aoki to the Toronto Blue Jays for Francisco Liriano.[12] He was assigned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons[13] and joined the Blue Jays on September 1.[14] On September 10, Hernández hit two home runs against the Detroit Tigers, the first multi home run game of his career.[15] In 26 games played, Hernández hit .261 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs.[8]

Hernández started the 2018 season with Buffalo and was recalled on April 13 when Josh Donaldson was placed on the disabled list.[16] Though he struggled defensively in left field during his first full major league season, Hernández emerged as one of Toronto's top offensive players, slugging 51 extra-base hits in his first 100 games.[8] In 134 games for the Blue Jays, he hit .239 with 22 home runs.[8] He struggled through the first two months of the season in 2019, hitting .189 with three home runs. He was optioned to Triple-A on May 16[17] for two weeks and returned to the major league team to play center field,[18] finishing the season with a .230 batting average and 26 home runs in 125 games.[8]

Teoscar Hernández and Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo in 2020.
Hernández and Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo in 2020.

With the Blue Jays in 2020, Hernández batted .289 with 16 home runs and 34 RBIs in 50 games,[2] winning the American League (AL) Silver Slugger Award for right field in the shortened season and having the fourth-best rate of at-bats per home run in the American League.[19] He also made his postseason debut, getting one hit in seven at-bats for the Blue Jays in the Wild Card Series.[8]

In 2021, Hernández started for the American League in the 2021 All-Star Game, his first All-Star selection,[20] and finished the season batting .296 with 32 home runs, and a career-high 116 RBIs.[8] He also won a Silver Slugger award for the second year in a row.[21]

On March 22, 2022, Hernández signed a $10.65 million contract with the Blue Jays, avoiding salary arbitration.[22] He hit .267 with 25 home runs and 77 RBI during the season[8] and hit two home runs for the Blue Jays in the second game of the Wild Card Series, which the Jays lost to the Seattle Mariners.[23]

Seattle Mariners

On November 16, 2022, the Blue Jays traded Hernández to the Mariners for pitchers Erik Swanson and Adam Macko.[24] He received a one-year, $14 million contract on February 18, 2023, after seeking $16.5 million but losing his salary arbitration case.[25] Hernández played in 160 games for Seattle in 2023, hitting .258 with 26 homers and 93 RBI.[8] His 211 strikeouts were second-most in the American League, three fewer than teammate Eugenio Suárez.[26] Hernández elected free agency on November 2.[2]

Hernández with the Dodgers in 2024.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On January 12, 2024, Hernández signed a one-year, $23.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.[27] He won the NL Player of the Week Award for the week of June 3–9 after he was 9 for 25 with four home runs, three doubles, six runs scored, and 10 RBI during that span.[28] He was selected to the 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, his second such selection.[29] He won the 2024 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby, the first Dodger to win the contest.[30] Hernández finished the 2024 regular season with a .272 average, a career-high 33 home runs and 99 RBIs in 154 games.[8] He hit a grand slam in Game 3 of the National League Division Series,[31] a game the Dodgers lost to the San Diego Padres. He then hit another home run in Game 5, to help the Dodgers win the series. Overall he had six hits in 18 at-bats in the series, with seven RBI.[32] He struggled in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, recording only two hits in 22 at-bats with only one RBI.[8]

Hernandez would go on to hit .350 in the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees with one HR and four RBI in five games,[8] including a game tying two run double off Gerrit Cole as part of a five run rally in the 5th inning of the deciding fifth game as the Dodgers won the series.[33]

International career

Hernández has played for the Dominican Republic in several international tournaments. After the 2015 regular season, Hernández played in the 2015 WBSC Premier12, getting five hits, including a home run and a double, in 15 at bats.[34] He played for the Dominican Republic in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, batting 0-for-5 over four games with two walks.[35]

Personal life

Hernández and his wife Jennifer have three sons.[2][36]

Hernández is nicknamed "Mr. Seeds"[37] because he regularly throws sunflower seeds at his teammates after they hit home runs. He said in 2024 that he began this celebration in 2017 with the Blue Jays, saying, "We had a bunch (of seeds). So I started throwing and throwing and throwing."[38]

References

  1. ^ Marshall, Ashley (May 21, 2014). "Hernandez homers twice, continues to rake". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d "Teoscar Hernández Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Teoscar Hernandez Minor & Winter League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  4. ^ Batterson, Steve (August 7, 2013). "River Bandits' Hernandez making a name for himself". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  5. ^ "Astros reward top prospects Hader, Hernandez". CSN Houston. Retrieved October 28, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Kaplan, Jake (August 12, 2016). "Astros call up outfielder Teoscar Hernandez". chron.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  7. ^ "Houston Astros vs Toronto Blue Jays Box Score: August 12, 2016". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Teoscar Hernandez Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  9. ^ Houston Astros [@astros] (March 21, 2017). "The Astros have optioned OF Teoscar Hernandez, IF Colin Moran, 1B AJ Reed and IF Tyler White to minor league camp" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ^ Dunsmore, Ryan (April 25, 2017). "Astros place Marisnick on DL; call up Hernandez". crawfishboxes.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  11. ^ Kaplan, Jake (April 26, 2017). "Astros call up Tony Kemp to replace injured Teoscar Hernandez". chron.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  12. ^ Chisholm, Gregor (July 31, 2017). "Toronto gets Aoki, prospect for Liriano". MLB.com. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  13. ^ "Bisons activate OF Teoscar Hernandez". Buffalo Bisons. August 1, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  14. ^ Hoad, Michael (August 31, 2017). "Teoscar Hernandez highlights first wave of Blue Jays' September call-ups". Sportsnet. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  15. ^ "Teoscar Hernández 2017 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  16. ^ "Blue Jays lose Donaldson (shoulder) to DL". MLB.com. April 13, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  17. ^ Adams, Steve (May 16, 2019). "Blue Jays Option Teoscar Hernandez, Outright Socrates Brito". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  18. ^ "Teoscar Hernández 2019 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  19. ^ "Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez wins Silver Slugger Award | CBC Sports". CBC. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  20. ^ Matheson, Keegan (July 2, 2021). "Blue Jays 2021 All-Star Game starters revealed". MLB.com. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  21. ^ "Silver Slugger Award: Braves lead NL with 4 winners; Angels' Shohei Ohtani, Blue Jays pace AL". The Athletic. November 11, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  22. ^ Franco, Anthony (March 22, 2022). "Blue Jays Avoid Arbitration With Teoscar Hernandez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr". MLBTradeRumors. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  23. ^ "2022 Wild Card Series Seattle Mariners over Toronto Blue Jays (2-0)". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  24. ^ Kramer, Daniel (November 17, 2022). "Teoscar Hernández traded to Mariners". MLB.com. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  25. ^ "Mariners Win Arbitration Case Against Teoscar Hernandez". MLB Trade Rumors. February 18, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  26. ^ "2023 American League Standard Batting". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  27. ^ Toribio, Juan (January 12, 2024). "Teoscar Hernández, Dodgers finalize 1-year deal". mlb.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  28. ^ Osborne, Cary (June 10, 2024). "Here's something for Teoscar Hernández's All-Star argument: He's NL Player of the Week". Dodgers Insider. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  29. ^ Toribio, Juan (July 7, 2024). "Betts, Freeman, Smith, Hernández, Glasnow to join Ohtani in All-Star Game". mlb.com. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  30. ^ Harris, Jack (July 15, 2024). "Teoscar Hernández makes Dodgers history in thrilling MLB Home Run Derby triumph". LA Times. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  31. ^ "Teoscar Hernández's grand slam | 10/08/2024". MLB.com. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  32. ^ "2024 NL Division Series Los Angeles Dodgers over San Diego Padres (3-2)". Baseball Reference. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  33. ^ "2024 World Series Game 5, Dodgers at Yankees, October 30". Baseball Reference. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  34. ^ "World Baseball Softball Confederation". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  35. ^ "The Official Site of Major League Baseball". MLB.com. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  36. ^ "Blue Jays' Hernandez reinstated from restricted list, will be active vs. Rangers". Sportsnet.ca. September 11, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  37. ^ Stoeten, Andrew (March 11, 2019). "Stoeten: Ranking the Blue Jays' Players' Weekend jersey names". The Athletic. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 24, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  38. ^ Plunkett, Bill (July 15, 2024). "Dodgers All-Star Teoscar Hernandez has been an 'invaluable' addition". Orange County Register. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
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