The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their eighth franchise World Series title with a parade, With free agency looming, Teosacr Hernández gave an emotional thank you to the city and organization.
During the Dodgers celebration, Hernández took the microphone and shared his thoughts on what this season meant to him as he heads into free agency.
“I just want to say thank you,” said Hernández, wiping away tears, to a crowd of Dodgers fans. “I play this game to win. The Dodgers gave me an opportunity to come here so I can help this organization, this city, this team and these people win a championship. You guys have made this dream come true. Thank you for making me a world champion.”
Hernández was one of the key players for the Dodgers in 2024. He was named an All-Star after signing a one-year “prove it” deal with the team. He set a career-high with 33 home runs. Spotrac projects him to sign a three-year, $71 million deal this winter. The emotion behind his speech to Dodgers fans made it seem like he could potentially be heading to another team. However, he has made it clear where he wants to be, according to MLB.com’s Juan Toribio.
“My hopes are really high,” said Hernández. “Like I’ve said before, the Dodgers are the priority, obviously. I’m going to do everything in my power to come back.”
It would not be crazy to say that the Dodgers could not win the World Series without Hernández. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman both missed some time in the regular season. AT times, it was Hernández who played a big role in the offense. The Dodgers were able to claim the National League’s top seed despite their superstars missing games. Hernández continued to produce in big spots during October.
More MLB: Dodgers predicted to cut ties with young outfielder in trade this winter
