Overshadowed by the signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, in addition to the Los Angeles Dodgers also trading for Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernández put together an All-Star season after betting on himself.
Hernández’s market in free agency last winter didn’t fully materialize as he’d expected, but there were still multi-year contracts and offers more lucrative than his $23.5 million salary with the Dodgers for the 2024 season.
Hernández explained his motivation was to join a World Series contender and belief Dodgers hitting coaches would help him bounce back from a down year in 2023.
That played out in spades and now Hernández is projected to sign the type of contract that evaded him a year ago.
According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles are among the teams interested in signing Hernández:
Teoscar Hernández is drawing interest from the Red Sox and Orioles in free agency, sources say. Other clubs are involved, too. Baltimore and Boston have similar needs for right-handed power. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 7, 2024
The Red Sox were among the teams to pursue Hernández in free agency last offseason.
Boston and Baltimore certainly would stand to benefit from adding a power right-handed hitter to their respective lineups, and one who brings with him postseason experience as a World Series champion.
Hernández set a career high with 33 home runs this season and overall finished the year batting .272/.339/.501 to go along with 32 doubles and 99 RBI as well. Hernández’s .840 on-base plus slugging percentage was the highest mark of his career since 2021, when it was .870 in his only other All-Star season.
If the Red Sox, Orioles or any other team were to sign Hernández, they would at minimum forfeit a draft pick because the Dodgers extended a qualifying offer to the 32-year-old.
Mutual interest between Dodgers & Teoscar Hernández
While Hernández is a free agent, he’s made it very clear of having a preference to re-sign with the Dodgers.
That same sentiment has been expressed by the likes of Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Brandon Gomes, manager Dave Roberts and players on the roster as well.
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