The Los Angeles Dodgers remain in discussions with fan favorite free agent Teoscar Hernández, but for now, nothing has come to fruition. After a phenomenal one-season stint in Los Angeles, there’s a chance Hernández could be wearing a different uniform in 2025.
Hernández is eyeing a three-year deal worth $22-24 million, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. There have been conflicting reports about the fate of Hernández in free agency, but it’s always been speculated that the outfielder was seeking a multi-year deal.
MLB insider Bob Nightengale offered some insight on whether Hernández will return to the Dodgers in a conversation with Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain.
“I think Teoscar Hernández comes back. He loved playing with the Dodgers, and you saw during the postseason, during the parade, everybody raved about what a great teammate he was. So, I think Teoscar Hernández is back, and then you kind of fill in from there. But, you know, if Teoscar Hernández decides not to come back, they’ll grab someone else. There’s certainly enough outfielders out there. They do have some depth with the returning guys they have.”
On the other hand, other insiders have predicted Hernández to land with another team. ESPN’s David Schoenfield believes Hernández will join his former team, the Toronto Blue Jays.
“At the start of the offseason, there seemed to be an assumption Hernandez would return to the Dodgers after he made such a huge impact both on the field and in the clubhouse, but the two sides are reportedly far apart — and the Dodgers signed Michael Conforto, another corner outfielder with subpar defensive metrics,” Schoenfield wrote.
“Knowing how much the Dodgers care about defense, it seems unlikely that they’ll go with both Hernandez and Conforto in the corners. So maybe that pushes Hernandez back to Toronto, where he played for five seasons as a regular, including an All-Star season in 2021.
The Jays clearly need offense and pursued Soto to fill a hole in the outfield, so Hernandez is a reasonable backup plan.”
The conversations between the Dodgers and Hernández stalled a few weeks ago, after it was reported the two parties were close on finalizing a deal. Since then, the Blue Jays have emerged as a legitimate contender to sign Hernández.
Hernández was open about his desire to return to Los Angeles during the season. But if another team makes him a better offer, he may not return to the Dodgers.
