Despite Teoscar Hernández’s desire to remain with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two sides have yet to reach an agreement.

Negotiations have stalled, and it remains uncertain whether they can bridge the gap and finalize a deal. But the sticking points have been boiled down to reportedly one thing.

As noted by Jack Harris of the L.A. Times, a potential agreement between Teoscar Hernández and the Dodgers may hinge on the inclusion of deferrals in the contract. If the two sides can find common ground on this issue, a reunion could be on the horizon.

Dodgers and Teoscar Hernandez Not Far From Deal

“They don’t sound like they’re that far apart. That’s the way this has been explained to me. That said, there are some sticking points.

“The Dodgers love doing deferrals, and Teoscar Hernández already took a deal that had some deferrals. I think that’s one area of disagreement. Obviously, there’s going to be other teams that are interested in him and I think his market is still developing. With Juan Soto coming off the board, that opened up some options.”

Following Juan Soto’s signing, Teoscar Hernández’s market value increased significantly.

Multiple teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays, expressed interest in acquiring his services.

Hernández signed a one-year, $23.5 million contract with the Dodgers last offseason, with $8.5 million of the total value to be paid out from 2030-2039.

Hernández is reportedly seeking a three-year contract with an annual salary in the $22-24 million range.

Even with new addition Michael Conforto, the Dodgers still have the opportunity to add in the outfield with Mookie Betts’s likely move to the infield for 2025.

Hernandez is a fan favorite and a beloved figure by manager Dave Roberts who recently said “It would be tough” replacing him.

“There’s not a whole lot of guys that can start 157, 158 ballgames and post and then to be that productive. Then you layer on being in a big market, helping us win a championship. So those players don’t come around very often.”