The Mariners were the winners of their arbitration hearing with Teoscar Hernandez, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports (Twitter link). The arbitration panel ruled that Hernandez will earn $14MM in 2023, rather than the outfielder’s sought-after salary of $16MM.
This was Hernandez’s final year of arb eligibility, as he is slated to enter the free agent market next offseason. 2023 will also be the slugger’s first season in Seattle, after the M’s acquired Hernandez from the Blue Jays in one of the winter’s most notable trades. The Mariners dealt a quality set-up man in Erik Swanson and an interesting pitching prospect in Adam Macko to Toronto in the hopes that the 30-year-old Hernandez can add some pop to the lineup.
Hernandez hit .267/.316/.491 with 25 home runs over 535 plate appearances with the Jays in 2022, continuing his string of somewhat quietly productive seasons. Since the start of the 2018 season, Hernandez has hit 121 homers and slashed .263/.321/.499, which works out to a solidly above-average 120 wrRC+. Hernandez won Silver Slugger honors in both 2020 and 2021, and was also named to his first All-Star team in 2021.
Despite all these pluses, the Jays felt Hernandez was expendable as part of their effort to add more defense, quickness, and left-handed hitting balance to the lineup. While Hernandez’s speed is perhaps underrated, his glovework as a corner outfielder drew mixed reviews at best, and such major public defensive metrics as Outs Above Average (-5), UZR/150 (-5.3) and Defensive Runs Saved (-3) all gave him subpar marks as a right fielder in 2022. Hernandez’s offensive production is also somewhat one-dimensional — he brings plenty of power and hard contact, but also a lot of swing-and-miss without many walks.
Since arbiters generally tend to look more at traditional counting stats than advanced metrics, the drop from Hernandez’s 2021 numbers (32 homers, 116 RBI, .296 average) to his 2022 number could explain why the panel ruled in favor of the Mariners. Hernandez will still receive a nice raise from his $10.65MM salary in 2022, and barring an extension with the M’s at some point, he’ll look to deliver a good platform season to set him up for a hefty multi-year contract next offseason.
With Hernandez’s case now decided, Seattle’s arbitration business has concluded for the winter. The club didn’t reach an agreement with three players prior to the figure-exchange deadline, but the Mariners ended up winning their hearings with Hernandez and Diego Castillo, and reaching a three-year extension with Dylan Moore.
As long as he still plays hard and hit’s em mightily . .
We need Teoscar to drive in tons of runs.
I expect his defense to be all right.
I will be great when we get to see the lineups.
First exhibition game is Friday! Wow.
I’m a Toronto fan. His defense is horrendous. If he can get some DH time, he’ll be fantastic, but his defense will have you screaming at the television on a regular basis.
We just sat through a year of Jesse Winkers defense. Teoscar could drill a hole in the ground and be fishing in the outfield all game and still be less lazy than Winker.
come on, Theo improved a tonne since being moved to right, i dont think i screamed at him once last year, .. well maybe i did when he let that lolly pop fall in front of him in Sept… and there was that time in Aug, when he watched a ball sail by his head like a stunned house fly..but im still gonna miss him… how can you stay mad at that smile and that bat!
So the glass is half full on a sun shinny day..
Teoscar is still the big winner of the day. Didn’t get his amount but still awarded highest arbitration amount in history.
Betts, Price, etc???
They didn’t go all the way through arbitration and inked deals, I think. I read this is the in fact the highest ever awarded by arbitration. Gerrit Cole 2019 was the next highest at 13.5.
Keyword: awarded.
Betts and Price, for example, were offered, and agreed to, contracts worth more.
As soon as he starts throwing seeds at his teammates in the dugout after homeruns, or butchers simple flyballs everyone will understand why the jays traded him.
Yeah, THAT was TOR’s issue last season.
Well, technically it was
Starting with the seed throwing and all the shenanigans in the dugout, at times its good, it builds moral. But when its daily, and I mean every game it was highlighted how Teoscar and Lordes were always clowning around. It becomes apparent that winning is secondary to having fun. That’s the first reason they both got shipped out
2nd reason is the want to be better defensively. Springer is by far a better RF than Toescar, hits better and has better baseball acumen. Varsho is far superior a LF than Lourdes and his offensive production should also be surpassed by Varsho. Kiermier is also far superior than Springer in CF although the bat leaves alot to br desired.
Even championship teams have a bad bat in their lineup, typically at C or one of the important spots like SS or CF.
Jays have superb production from the C and SS position in the lineup and can sacrifice that one bat. Which is flanked by a slew of capable hitters off the bench when the need arises and have 3 other capable CF options if needed
Part of these exchanges was also a high leverage arm in Swanson.
When u break it down, Jimmer was right even tho it’s on brand to clown him
The Jays got rid of most of the left side of the dugout, with all the clownery. Can’t get rid of Manoah or Guerrero, but basically everyone else contributing to the dugout shenanigans is gone.
Sounds like you’ve already won the pennant lol
Baseball serious work. Grunt. No fun in the dugout. Grunt. Jays and Bucs fan must be fun at parties. Is that you John Lackey
Hey Teoscar, you suck in these ways… But please play for us!
They probably said he hasn’t done a daggone thing for them.
He way overdid it and learned a lesson that may not apply again (unless it’s a Cortea free agency situation).
So u either get one or amount or the other ? Judge can’t pick a different amount ?
Yep. Legally, arbitration us binding and can’t be appealed to a judge. Here, it’s even worse in the sense that you not only can’t appeal, but you just get 1 or the other. Most employers have arbitration clauses for employees and customers (I think), which is unfair. However, this guy was just a fool for trying to lose almost. I would fire my agent if he advised me on this.
It’s not the agents fault at all deGrom.
This is an evil necessity of the current system. During arbitration years players are allowed to ask for and are usually over estimating their wages. The team has the same opportunity. Player submits desired salary, if team agrees no need for anything further. If team doesn’t agree, they put forth their offer. If player agrees nothing further is required
It’s only when both sides are unhappy with the offers that an arbitrator steps in and decides based on arguments from both sides which # is more just
History shows Arbitration usually sides with the team.
I don’t understand how someone like Burnes doesn’t get his asking price, yet other insignificant players receive theirs.
But the agent literally has no control over it. Unless you’re suggesting the Agent advise the player to ALWAYS take the teams offer to avoid arbitration, I don’t see how the agent comes into play.
E z 1. Sea was like – he didn’t even play for us…..
Swanson is kind of interesting. Traded twice before he ever threw a pitch in the majors. He’s outperformed his FIP every year (except 2020, only 9 IP). Had a terrific season in 2022. Looks like a closer candidate.
His biggest strength is being a righty who specializes in getting lefties out. He’ll take a step back in ERA as TMobile park helped him out a lot, but he’s still very consistently good.
Lol Swanson is not closer material. Lmao!! He’s good, but Bistro nailed it right on the head. Great at getting lefties out.
I will miss Buck Martinez saying the name Teoscar Hernandez
Jays robbed them in that tradem
NOT!! LOL!
Must not want him to stick around after this year. Or maybe they’ll try and offer him that $2M in an extension.
Hope his teammates talk him into sticking around. No big bats are willingly signing in Seattle.
This sounds like we went sideways some in letting Haniger leave. Hernandez hits also. FA. market next year. So more or less he is a borrowed player. if he does have a good year then he will expect a big pay day 16 million this year. what’s that math look like in three years?.. Hanigers 3 year 38 million looks like the better deal since Hernandez is less than a good defender maybe better suited as a DH. Oh that’s right now we can look for someone to play the outfield.. yeah we have Kelenic, Moore, and Haggerty. I guess somebody knows better than me. but I’m less than thrilled about it. but how can this go wrong you say.
Having a full year of Hernandez over a 1/3 of a season of Haniger should be a step up. Throw in full seasons of Raleigh, Castillo, and Kirby, and the M’s should have another great year!
i predict a banner year for Teoscar, 30+ dingers and 100+ rbi’s for the M’s who will win the division and maybe more, especially if young JRod repeats , and Ray and Castillo dominate, and watch out for young Trammell , Raleigh, and Ty France to be huge for them this season.. ,,
my predictions anyhow..
Thing about theeOscar, just one Triple Crown away from an EGOT