Teoscar Hernandez?

[Bertz]

Ken Rosenthal notes this AM that while the Dodgers are not full on shopping Teo, they're talking about him with teams.  He's one of the better lefty mashing power bats in the league right now, and his contract is very much mid sized.

The outfield defense is a disaster and he provides no coverage at 1B, but offensively he's a fairly perfect fit.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

Ken Rosenthal notes this AM that while the Dodgers are not full on shopping Teo, they're talking about him with teams.  He's one of the better lefty mashing power bats in the league right now, and his contract is very much mid sized.

The outfield defense is a disaster and he provides no coverage at 1B, but offensively he's a fairly perfect fit.

Like the idea but give it about a 1% chance of the Cubs making that sort of move. If they liked him they could have signed him last year without having to give something up for him. They didn’t. Instead they traded assets for Tucker, who they will now lose. But if they did somehow do this that would probably mean the pitcher added to the rotation would be via trade and his salary would be low. Sadly, the Cubs just don’t act big market so there isn’t room for Teoscar plus someone like King and also a pen arm that cost $10M+ a year. 

[Illiterate Scholar]

I wonder if the Dodgers would be interested in Taillon (assuming we do add another mid/top rotation pitcher)

[Bertz]

4 minutes ago, Illiterate Scholar said:

I wonder if the Dodgers would be interested in Taillon (assuming we do add another mid/top rotation pitcher)

I wouldn't think so.  Their rotation is pretty full.  They'd probably love a good swing arm or someone they could stash at AAA, but Jamo doesn't feel like a good fit for their roster right now.

[NorthsideAvenger]

If Hernandez's OF defense is a disaster and he can not play 1B, that leaves DH. So unless the Cubs are planning on moving Suzuki is another deal, what's the point of Hernandez?

[mul21]

3 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

If Hernandez's OF defense is a disaster and he can not play 1B, that leaves DH. So unless the Cubs are planning on moving Suzuki is another deal, what's the point of Hernandez?

To put Seiya in RF and have another very good bat in the lineup.  This isn't complicated.  Seiya isn't a great fielder, but he's not near the butcher a lot of people make him out to be.

[mul21]

1 hour ago, Rcal10 said:

Like the idea but give it about a 1% chance of the Cubs making that sort of move. If they liked him they could have signed him last year without having to give something up for him. They didn’t. Instead they traded assets for Tucker, who they will now lose. But if they did somehow do this that would probably mean the pitcher added to the rotation would be via trade and his salary would be low. Sadly, the Cubs just don’t act big market so there isn’t room for Teoscar plus someone like King and also a pen arm that cost $10M+ a year. 

Him signing with the Dodgers after already having been on the team is a pretty good indication he wanted to stay there, regardless of interest from other teams. Assuming this is accurate, I think the practicality of this option depends a lot on how the deferred money would be handled, especially since the Cubs just don't do that.

• Annual salary breakdown:
  • 2025: $10 million ($7.5 million deferred)
  • 2026: $12 million ($8 million deferred)
  • 2027: $14.5 million ($8 million deferred)
• 2028: Club option for $15 million with a $6.5 million buyout 

[Bertz]

3 minutes ago, mul21 said:

Him signing with the Dodgers after already having been on the team is a pretty good indication he wanted to stay there, regardless of interest from other teams. Assuming this is accurate, I think the practicality of this option depends a lot on how the deferred money would be handled, especially since the Cubs just don't do that.

• Annual salary breakdown:
  • 2025: $10 million ($7.5 million deferred)
  • 2026: $12 million ($8 million deferred)
  • 2027: $14.5 million ($8 million deferred)
• 2028: Club option for $15 million with a $6.5 million buyout 

Given that his contract is fairly underwater, those deferrals actually probably make the financials easy.  Dodgets hold onto those deferred dollars, other team takes on Teo's "real" money and gives up something of a little value.

Assad for Teo + that money kicked in sounds pretty reasonable for both sides?

[NorthsideAvenger]

1 hour ago, mul21 said:

To put Seiya in RF and have another very good bat in the lineup.  This isn't complicated.  Seiya isn't a great fielder, but he's not near the butcher a lot of people make him out to be.

If you trade for Hernandez, I would rather trade away Suzuki, give RF to OC and then bring in a complimentary guy. Hernandez with Suzuki is redundant, imo. 

[Neuby]

no

 

[mul21]

11 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

If you trade for Hernandez, I would rather trade away Suzuki, give RF to OC and then bring in a complimentary guy. Hernandez with Suzuki is redundant, imo. 

You'd rather send a worse hitter out there every day?  Weird take for a team you're a fan of.

[mul21]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

Given that his contract is fairly underwater, those deferrals actually probably make the financials easy.  Dodgets hold onto those deferred dollars, other team takes on Teo's "real" money and gives up something of a little value.

Assad for Teo + that money kicked in sounds pretty reasonable for both sides?

Yeah, the deferred money staying with LA would make that much more palatable for sure, which was the crux of my post.  The AAV isn't bad at all if you remove the deferrals.

[NorthsideAvenger]

14 minutes ago, mul21 said:

You'd rather send a worse hitter out there every day?  Weird take for a team you're a fan of.

 I rather have Kyle Tucker back. Barring that, give me the upside play over the aging hitter. 

[Rcal10]

26 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

 I rather have Kyle Tucker back. Barring that, give me the upside play over the aging hitter. 

Hernandez is not redundant. Cubs need a solid right handed bat in the line up WITH Suzuki. It makes no sense at all to trade for him and then just trade Seiya.

[NorthsideAvenger]

1 hour ago, Rcal10 said:

Hernandez is not redundant. Cubs need a solid right handed bat in the line up WITH Suzuki. It makes no sense at all to trade for him and then just trade Seiya.

How is an all bat, no glove DH not redundant? Regardless, I don't want Hernandez. 

[Post Count Padder]

Pass. He's a nice power bat but has a big contract and can't play defense. I also don't really feel like helping out the Dodgers by giving them a prospect. 

[Bertz]

24 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

How is an all bat, no glove DH not redundant? Regardless, I don't want Hernandez. 

The Cubs currently have exactly 1 player in their outfield/1B/DH mix who you can confidently expect to hit left handed pitching.

[Tryptamine]

6 minutes ago, Bertz said:

The Cubs currently have exactly 1 player in their outfield/1B/DH mix who you can confidently expect to hit left handed pitching.

Are you ready to give up on Ballesteros for Teoscar because unless Moises is a catcher, and he's probably not, Ballesteros is going to have no place to play long term and it pretty much forces their hand to trade him. I'm not against trading Ballesteros, but I'm not doing it to make room for Teoscar. 

[CubinNY]

1 minute ago, Tryptamine said:

Are you ready to give up on Ballesteros for Teoscar because unless Moises is a catcher, and he's probably not, Ballesteros is going to have no place to play long term and it pretty much forces their hand to trade him. I'm not against trading Ballesteros, but I'm not doing it to make room for Teoscar. 

Mo didn't hit LHP last year, but it's a little too early to write him off. 

[Bertz]

9 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Are you ready to give up on Ballesteros for Teoscar because unless Moises is a catcher, and he's probably not, Ballesteros is going to have no place to play long term and it pretty much forces their hand to trade him. I'm not against trading Ballesteros, but I'm not doing it to make room for Teoscar. 

I guess a few things make me not worried about it

1. I do really think the team should move one of Mo or Caissie this winter.  Even if they get their SP in FA do a Michael Busch trade from the other end or something.  But I think there's a lot of redundancy there, and if you commit to one this winter a lot of those "where is everybody gonna fit" worries start to fade away quickly

2. Teo's glove is a joke but it's not completely unplayable.  The Dodgers have back to back rings running him out there everyday in RF because DH was spoken for.  I think something like what they did with Seiya last year, 70/30ish between DH and outfield, is probably fine

3. Two of the last three seasons Teo has not played at a level commensurate with everyday playing time.  So I think it's fair to give him shortside platoon duty and make him earn more from there.  If he hits like he did in '24 we're in classic "good problem to have" territory

[NorthsideAvenger]

48 minutes ago, Bertz said:

The Cubs currently have exactly 1 player in their outfield/1B/DH mix who you can confidently expect to hit left handed pitching.

Goldschmidt? 

[Rcal10]

2 hours ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

How is an all bat, no glove DH not redundant? Regardless, I don't want Hernandez. 

 Suzuki would play right and Teoscar would DH. Mo can play another year at AAA, maybe sharpening his catching skills and Cassie be traded for pitching. I understand not wanting him if you want to play youth. I am just saying he isn’t redundant. The Cubs need a power hitting right handed bat. He would be a nice addition to the line up. I just doubt that happens. 

[Rcal10]

46 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

Goldschmidt? 

You don’t want Hernández but want Goldschmidt? Why does that work any better? He is a DH that would mean Suzuki is in the outfield. 

[NorthsideAvenger]

35 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

You don’t want Hernández but want Goldschmidt? Why does that work any better? He is a DH that would mean Suzuki is in the outfield. 

He's cheaper and only cost money.

Or the Cubs can go and sign Alex Bregman. I do not mind that option. 

[Rcal10]

54 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

He's cheaper and only cost money.

Or the Cubs can go and sign Alex Bregman. I do not mind that option. 

To be fair, Teoscar isn’t my first option. My only point was he isn’t redundant. I would rather have Bregman too. If the Dodgers are in the hook for the deferral money, Teoscar isn’t that much more costly than Goldy would be. And if Bertz is right, in trade assets he wouldn’t cost much. That said, I have no issue with you not wanting him. I am in the fence with that as well. But if they did get him he would be a good line up addition and not redundant. That is all I am saying.