Teoscar Hernandez's agent takes misguided shot at Mariners during Dodgers playoff run

Whenver there is a team like the Seattle Mariners that has a front office willing to make roster changes aggressively, there are going to be some hurt feelings and mistakes along the way. Jerry Dipoto hasn't been quite as trade happy running the Mariners' front office as many thought he would be, he still keeps himself rather busy in search of the right mix of players, which includes the trade for Teoscar Hernandez.

When the Mariners acquired Hernandez, it was in the hope that he could replicate his offensive performance from his previous three years with the Blue Jays where he was a consistent 25+ homer a year threat while averaging an .852 OPS. Unfortunately, his lone season in Seattle resulted in a relatively mediocre .258/.305/.435 slash line before he departed in free agency.

Ultimately, despite entreaties from some Mariners fans to bring Hernandez back, he ultimately decided to sign a one-year deal with the Dodgers. That obviously turned out well for Hernandez as LA is currently in the NLCS against the Mets.

However, it appears as though Hernandez's agent feels the criticism Hernandez received for signing a one-year deal deserved a clap-back after his success in 2024. In the process, it appears he took a familiar shot at Seattle.

Teoscar Hernandez's agent seemingly puts Mariners on blast

First, it is hardly surprising to see Hernandez's agent, Rafa Nieves, going to bat for his client ahead of potential contract negotiations because, well, it is his job. While his missive on last offseason lacks the pro wrestling cliche flair that Scott Boras employs with the media, talking up Hernandez isn't out of the question.

Moreover, it is clear that their gambit last offseason worked out. Hernandez didn't play up to expectations in Seattle, so he bet on himself with a World Series contender and is now poised for a big payday.

Of course, Nieves couldn't help himself by criticizing T-Mobile Park for being pitcher-friendly. Hernandez himself has complained about hitting in Seattle in the past, so the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

T-Mobile Park certainly favors pitchers over hitters, but Hernandez's biggest problem in 2023 was making contact at all, as he had bottom-of-the-scale contact and chase rates and struck out 211 times. Hitting in Seattle certainly isn't easy, but Nieves should probably pump the brakes on the hate since Hernandez's wild hacking is what really held him back.

In short, good for Hernandez in turning his one-year deal into a likely lucrative contract this coming offseason. However, he and his agent should probably focus on what makes him a good fit anywhere this offseason instead of making excuses for what happened in the past.

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