Enrique Hernandez played through most of the 2025 season with a torn muscle in his left (non-throwing) arm, and he underwent surgery to address the problem back in November. Hernandez suggested during an offseason interview with Adam Ottavino (hat tip to MLB.com’s Sonja Chen) that his recovery process would cost him “a month or two” of the regular season, but Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes suggested a slightly longer timeline, telling The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya and other reporters today that the team expected Hernandez closer to midseason.
The status of Hernandez’s elbow didn’t stop Los Angeles from re-signing the utilityman to a one-year, $4.5MM free agent contract. Hernandez hasn’t yet been placed on the 60-day injured list, so the Dodgers may think there is still some chance he might be able to return within the first two months of regular-season action. Gomes noted that Hernandez will soon start swinging, which should provide some data on the 34-year-old’s progress.
Some might argue that Hernandez only needs to be ready for October, given his history as a postseason performer. The veteran has a modest .236/.305/.403 slash line over 4152 plate appearances and 12 Major League seasons, but his postseason numbers (.272/.339/.486 in 328 PA) have made Hernandez a key part of the Dodgers’ three championship teams over the last six years.
Gomes also touched on Evan Phillips’ recovery from Tommy John surgery, and his comparison to Phillips’ return as akin to a trade deadline acquisition suggests that the reliever should be back around late July. Since Phillips had his surgery in late May 2025, the timeline tracks with the usual TJ rehab period. Phillips himself told Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times that he is aiming to be back with the Dodgers by August at the latest, with an eye towards being fully ready for playoff baseball.
L.A. non-tendered Phillips in November, but re-signed the former closer to a one-year, $6.5MM deal earlier this week. It’s a fairly steep price for a pitcher who may pitch around a third of the regular season, yet the Dodgers can obviously afford it, and are counting on Phillips to regain his past status as a key leverage reliever. Phillips posted a 2.14 ERA over 184 2/3 innings for Los Angeles from 2022-25, recording 45 saves during his time as the team’s closer.
Unsurprisingly for a pitcher coming off a Tommy John procedure, Phillips’ market was pretty quiet, as the Red Sox were the only team publicly known to have interest this winter. Phillips told Harris that he had “plenty of teams kick the tires and check in” during the offseason, and talks with the Dodgers only started to reignite in early February.
Phillips won’t be returning to the closer role upon his return, both due to his long layoff and the fact that the Dodgers have now signed Edwin Diaz to handle ninth-inning duties. The three-time All-Star became yet another marquee Dodgers signing when he inked a three-year, $69MM deal back in December, and the $23MM average annual value of his contract is a new record for a relief pitcher.
Diaz headed to Los Angeles after a successful six-year run with the Mets, and many expected New York to again re-sign the closer. The Mets reportedly made Diaz a three-year, $66MM offer, but Diaz accepted the Dodgers’ offer without giving the Mets “a chance to counter,” MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo writes. A source tells DiComo that New York was open to spending beyond $66MM to retain Diaz, but another source “said Diaz’s camp didn’t expect the Mets to increase their offer in a meaningful way,” which is why the closer settled on the Dodgers’ $69MM contract.
Diaz’s decision struck Mets owner Steve Cohen as “perplexing,” as he told team broadcaster Howie Rose in an interview earlier this week. “Obviously, it’s a personal decision on his part, and I thought we made a pretty respectable bid.” Diaz didn’t directly respond to Cohen’s statement, but told reporters yesterday that “I think the Dodgers did a great job recruiting me. At the end of the day, I chose to be here. I have a lot of respect for the Mets organization, players, staff, ownership. They treated me really good. I don’t have anything bad to say about them. But at the end of the day, I’m here.”
Wow.
Just say no to Toronto
Toronto has a shoe museum. Place is a trip.
Mets closer is a great job but Cohen shouldn’t be surprised when a player chooses LA over queens. Dodgers are back to back defending champs and choose the cream of the crop in free agency. Stevie should take it as a compliment the dodgers took Diaz away.
Sounds like a bit of a communication breakdown by the Mets. Sounds like Diaz wanted a better shot at a ring – he decided well before the Mets finished trying to upgrade.
Just one more reason to root for that to not happen.
Something doesn’t sit right here. Wasserman, much like Scott Boras, are known for getting their clients top dollar during free agency. After the Mets offered 3/$66M and LA countered with 3/$69M, there is no way Wasserman wouldn’t go back the Mets for a chance to improve their initial offer unless they were instructed by their client to accept LA’s offer “as is”. Maybe Diaz just wanted to beat the all-time AAV record for a relief pitcher, but that doesn’t really pass the sniff test either. My guess is that Diaz either wanted to play for the best team in baseball or he was upset at some of the decisions made by the Mets organization like not re-signing Alonso. He’s keeping his true feelings to himself so he doesn’t upset the Mets fans and doesn’t carry a label of being ‘high maintenance’ across the league.
@Dorothy
Is it worth a couple million $ to play for the Mets vs the dodgers? The guy will make over $100 million after taxes in his career so why should he shop the dodgers offer if it’s the record AAV for his position and gives him the best chance at winning while having the best organization supporting him. His brother’s experience in the organization reportedly made a positive impression on him like it does for most dodger players. If he continues to stay healthy and perform he has a shot at another huge contract, at least in AAV.
Diaz also said he chose the Dodgers because he “wants to win”
If the Mets ownership wasn’t motivated enough, this should do it. Not like he’s lying, only way to change the narrative is to WIN.