Dodgers and Teoscar Hernández: Will a Reunion Happen?

The Los Angeles Dodgers and outfielder Teoscar Hernández have mutual interest in continuing their successful partnership, yet a new deal has yet to be finalized. According to ESPN’s Alden González, the two sides have been negotiating for weeks but have been "unable to bridge the gap."


Hernández, now 32, entered free agency last year after a down season with the Seattle Mariners. During his 2020-22 tenure with the Toronto Blue Jays, he posted an impressive .283/.333/.519 slash line, earning a 132 wRC+. However, his performance dipped in 2023 after being traded to the Mariners, where he hit .258/.305/.435 with a 106 wRC+. Consequently, Seattle did not extend a qualifying offer, leaving Hernández unsigned into January. Despite a two-year, $28 million offer from the Red Sox, Hernández chose to bet on himself, signing a one-year, $23.5 million deal with the Dodgers, albeit with deferrals.


This gamble paid off handsomely for both Hernández and the Dodgers. He bounced back with a .272/.339/.501 slash line and a 134 wRC+, proving his Seattle stint was an anomaly. His contributions continued into the postseason, where he performed admirably in 16 games, helping the Dodgers clinch the World Series. During the celebrations, Hernández expressed his desire to remain with the Dodgers.


Despite initial optimism, a deal has not materialized. Last month, ESPN’s Jeff Passan suggested that Hernández might be one of the first big names to sign this winter, but his experience in free agency last year has likely made him more cautious. Given his strong 2024 performance, Hernández understandably seeks a fair market value contract and isn’t willing to settle for less.