Red Sox Predicted To Lose $66 Million All-Star Free Agent To Dodgers By MLB Insider

Foiled by the big blue money machine?

Dec 9, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox still look like underdogs in the race to land a World Series champion slugger.

Teoscar Hernández, who finished up a terrific one-year tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers in championship fashion, is now a free agent. He's expressed his desire to return to LA, but has been a Red Sox target both last winter and this time around as well.

Hernández is reportedly seeking a deal between $22-24 million per season, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. That means the Red Sox, Dodgers, or whoever else might want him would have to shell out a minimum of $66 million to meet the slugger's demands.

The Dodgers, for their part, have been vocal about wanting Hernández back, with manager Dave Roberts (formerly of Red Sox fame) saying on multiple platforms that he believes the two sides can work out their differences.

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic joined the debate Monday, and his thoughts likely won't be well-received by Red Sox fans. Rosenthal predicted on his Fair Territory podcast that the two-time All-Star slugger would eventually return to LA this winter.

“I still expect them (Dodgers) to sign Teoscar Hernández,” Rosenthal said.

“This is seemingly the dance the two sides are going through. It’s taking much longer than it should have. Teoscar wants to be back, the Dodgers want him back. I’m not exactly sure what the problem is.”

Hernández, 32, had a career-high 33 home runs in 2024, to accompany an .840 OPS/137 OPS+, 99 RBI, and a Sliver Slugger Award. He's arguably the best hitter remaining on the free-agent market, depending on how you feel about Alex Bregman or Pete Alonso.

The Red Sox would surely love to win the bidding war, but at what cost? Three years, $66 million fits right within their price range, yet there's been no inclination that they've made the star a firm offer.

Now is the time to make that firm offer if the Red Sox want to stave off the Dodgers in the Hernández sweepstakes.

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