"Unlikely Dodgers will go with both Teoscar Hernandez & Michael Conforto" - 2x All-Star projected to sign $66M deal with Blue Jays, per insider
MLB free agent Teoscar Hernandez won the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season but his fate for the upcoming season of baseball remains uncertain. Many top ballclubs are showing interest in the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby winner as he proved to be an instrumental figure in Dodgers' triumphant run in the 2024 MLB season.
According to ESPN senior baseball writer David Schoenfield, the 2x All-Star might turn away from re-signing with the Dodgers and instead go back to Toronto to sign with Blue Jays for a predicted deal valued at $66 million.
Teoscar Hernandez has played with Blue Jays for five seasons from 2017 to 2022. In his report, David cited the signing of former Giants and Mets RF Michael Conforto by the Dodgers, as one of the main reasons for the ballclub to look away from Hernandez this offseason. David Schoenfield wrote:
"Knowing how much the Dodgers care about defense, it seems unlikely that they'll go with both [Teoscar] Hernandez and [Michael] 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."
Teoscar Hernandez produced one of the best seasons of his MLB career in 2024. He finished the regular season with .272 batting average, 33 home runs, 99 RBIs, and .840 OPS on his way to earn the third silver slugger award and get named on the All-MLB second team for the second time in his big league career.
Teoscar Hernandez might sign with the Red Sox, per a Bleacher Report insider
Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer predicts that Hernandez might snub Dodgers and instead sign with the Blue Jays' AL East rivals, the Boston Red Sox, for the next MLB season. Citing his reasons, Rymer wrote:
"The Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders, but not of right-handed hitters. Hernández is about as well as they can do in regard to the latter, and it would be easy for Red Sox manager Alex Cora to get him at-bats in left field and at designated hitter."
A move to Boston might seem favorable for Hernandez who boasts a .950 OPS in 100 plate appearances at Fenway Park.