Led by big-hitting Teoscar Hernandez, trio of ex-Blue Jays in line for Dodgers World Series bling

Article content

The World Series champions are about as far away from the Toronto Blue Jays as a team can get — both in geographical distance and win-loss records.

But a trio of former Jays who were a part of the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers are in line to collect World Series rings.

Leading the way, of course, is Teoscar Hernandez, a massive fan favourite in Toronto before being jettisoned out of town following the 2022 season, who was one of the stars of the Dodgers’ 4-1 series win in the Fall Classic that ended with a 7-6 clincher Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

Kevin Kiermaier, a depth addition at this year’s trade deadline as the Jays waved the white flag on the season and purged, will also get a ring, while it’s likely that Cavan Biggio, who had a 30-game stint with the Dodgers after getting released by Toronto in June, will also collect a bauble.

The Dodgers, who finished off a surprisingly easy five-game triumph, led all of baseball with 98 regular-season wins. They were the class of the post-season as well, a franchise that develops talent and complements it with savvy additions.

As for those ex-Toronto players involved in the Dodger dominance, the one that hurts the most for Jays fans assuredly is Hernandez, a power bat who became the first notable move in Toronto general manager Ross Atkins’s strategy to stress improved defence over power offence. To this point, that strategy has imploded for the Jays, who were sorely lacking power in a 2024 season that saw their worst offensive output in decades.

Spurned by the Blue Jays, a team that he felt he could help win a World Series, Hernandez got his ring in style. The soon-to-be free agent was a key offensive force for the Dodgers throughout the World Series including a clutch hit in Wednesday’s decisive win. An RBI double in the top of the dramatic fifth inning tied the game as the Dodgers climbed out of a 5-0 hole.

In the series, Hernandez hit a momentous .350 with seven hits, a home run and four RBI. Throughout the post-season, the Dodgers left fielder had three homers and 12 RBI. And on the biggest stage of the sport, he was a glaring example of what the Jays needed so badly.

The World Series triumph capped a magnificent season for the just-turned-32-year-old Hernandez, who was signed to a one-year contract by the Dodgers for US$23.5 million back in January. The personable star hit a career-best 33 home runs, won the Home Run Derby and was an all star before his post-season heroics.

Kiermaier, who was dealt to the Dodgers at the trade deadline, didn’t appear in the World Series but did see the field late in three games in the NLCS to fulfill the role he was essentially acquired for — defensive depth.

Biggio, meanwhile, played 30 games for the Dodgers, who scooped up the son of hall of famer Craig Biggio after the Jays designated him for assignment. Cavan was than released by the Dodgers when Freddie Freeman, the eventual World Series MVP, returned to the lineup following an injury.

If it weren’t for the brilliance of Freeman, who hit homers in each of the first four games of the World Series capped by the grand slam to clinch a Game 1 win, Hernandez would have been given serious consideration for World Series MVP. Buried beneath the headlines of the Dodgers’ successful pursuit of Japanese star Shohei Ohtani in the off-season, Hernandez played a huge role for the NL West champions all season, hitting third and fourth in manager Dave Roberts’ order throughout the regular season and playoffs.

rlongley@postmedia.com