The Chicago White Sox acquired Cesar Hernandez in 2021 to replace the injured (and also traded away) Nick Madrigal. He came over to play second base from the Cleveland Guardians but things didn't go all that well for him.
The White Sox didn't give up much to get him so it wasn't that big of a deal. He just didn't live up to expectations because he was so good with the Guardians before coming over. He didn't help the team and he didn't hurt the team so it wasn't anything to be upset over.
It would have been nice if he was god with the White Sox but the other options were no better. Following that season, however, the White Sox decided not to bring him back which was probably a smart decision.
It isn't like Leury Garcia, Josh Harrison, Romy Gonzalez, Lenyn Sosa, or Danny Mendick were much better but they didn't need to spend any more money on Hernandez.
Cesar Hernandez hasn't been right since playing for the White Sox.
The former Gold Glove Award winner spent the entire 2022 season with the Washington Nationals. He wasn't bad but he wasn't good either. Honestly, it was probably exactly what a last-place team like the Nationals expected out of him.
Now, we learned on Wednesday that he is going to be getting another chance in 2023. The Detroit Tigers are inviting him to spring training on a minor league deal. If he makes the roster, he will be making 1.5 million dollars with a chance to earn even more.
The Tigers had a tough year last year. The Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins ended up being much better than them but they were supposed to be the team making it hard on the White Sox. Now, they are looking like a team with an uncertain future.
Hernandez, if he ends up making the team, is not going to be the guy that gets them going. However, he is a good veteran presence that could help some of the younger players take that next step. Detroit has plenty of young players that need help so we'll see if this guy can help them.