Chicago Cubs Offseason Target ‘Earned a Raise’ With Monster Power Performance

The price has only gone up for the Chicago Cubs and other teams if they want to land the slugger.

Oct 16, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) makes a catch against the New York Mets in the sixth inning during game three of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. / John Jones-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs will have fierce competition throughout free agency for multiple players they want.

With the Cubs looking to improve their lineup in the offseason, they should expect other teams to be looking to do the same. If a hitter on the market could come in and bring them value, that likely means they could do so for another team, too. 

Competition isn't necessarily a good thing for Chicago.

They haven't exactly been a hotbed for free agents throughout the past few winters, which brings more worries for them potentially not landing the players they need to sign. 

One potential target is Teoscar Hernandez. However, with Hernandez playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cubs could be in a tough position to add the power hitter. 

If there's one team in Major League Baseball that's proven to be willing to spend money on some of the top players on the market, it's the Dodgers. There's a reason why many insiders view them as potential suitors for many players on the open market again this offseason.

That includes Elijah Evans of Just Baseball, who believes Hernandez is in line to earn a pay raise with his performance throughout the 2024 campaign, highlighting them bringing him back.

"Compared to most of these players, Hernández may not receive much of a bump in terms of AAV, but he has certainly earned a longer-term deal. He signed a one-year, $23.5 million deal with the Dodgers to further bolster an insane lineup after a fairly disappointing 2023... With a Spotrac market value of $71 million over three years, Hernández earned himself that multi-year deal with such a strong 2024. He’ll be one of the most sought-after outfielders on the market, possibly second to just Juan Soto, and the Dodgers will surely try to retain him."

Hernandez interestingly had to take a one-year prove-it deal with Los Angeles, seeking a long-term extension in the offseason. That's the name of the game sometimes, and while that doesn't always benefit players, he did the most with his time in the spotlight.

Not only did he hit in the middle of the Dodgers lineup and produce at a high level, but it was the fourth straight season that he hit at least 25 home runs, a great indication of the type of power he has in his bat. 

Factor in that he had his highest OPS+ in a year when he played in more than 50 games, and it's easy to see why Chicago should be interested in signing him if they have the opportunity.