Latest Teoscar Hernández Update Doesn’t Bode Well for Dodgers Reunion

Valentina Martinez | 20 Hours Ago

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) hits a two RBI double during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

At the start of the offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Teoscar Hernández seemed to be in for a reunion. It was only logical after Hernández put up stellar numbers in Dodger blue and endeared L.A. fans.

However, after Juan Soto signed his landmark deal with the New York Mets, negotiations between the Dodgers and Hernández appeared to have stalled. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported over the weekend the two parties have disagreed on one important aspect of the outfielder's contract.

"Hernández, 32, is seeking a three-year deal between $66 million and $72 million, according to a person briefed on the negotiations," Rosenthal wrote. "The contract length does not appear to be a point of contention between the parties. The issue is money."

The winter is inevitably a time of speculation. Baseball experts have emerged at opposite ends regarding the fate of Hernández in free agency.

At the Winter Meetings, MLB insider Bob Nightengale believed Hernández would return to the Dodgers. In a conversation with Dodgers Nation's Doug McKain, Nightengale explained why he thought so.

“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," Nightengale said. "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.”

Meanwhile, ESPN's David Schoenfield has Hernández joining the Toronto Blue Jays by the end of the offseason.

"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 longer the Hernández saga goes on, the less likely it feels he will wind up back in L.A. However, for now, Dodger fans who want Hernández back will have to anxiously wait for the next update.

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