Dodgers ‘Hopeful’ But Uncertain to Re-Sign Teoscar Hernandez, Says Andrew Friedman
The Los Angeles Dodgers have already had an active offseason, adding left-handed pitcher Blake Snell and outfielder Michael Conforto while bringing back right-handed reliever Blake Treinen and extending utility man Tommy Edman. But that doesn’t mean they’re close to being done.
The Dodgers still have needs to address, with the main one being in the outfield.
Teoscar Hernández remains a free agent after putting together an impressive first season in Los Angeles, hitting 33 home runs with 99 runs batted in and an OPS of .840. While it felt like a sure thing Hernández would be back in Los Angeles this offseason, the more days that go by, the more it seems like 2024 could be Hernández’s only season with L.A.
This week at the Winter Meetings, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman fielded questions in his suite at the Hilton Anatole. He was unsure about a potential reunion between Hernández and the Dodgers.
“It’s hard for me to answer,” Friedman said. “He had a really good year. He put himself in a great position and I know he has talked about wanting to (re-sign), and I know that we have talked about him wanting to, and he and his family get to go through the interest and figure out what makes the most sense for them.
“So while we’re hopeful, at the same time, if he ends up signing somewhere else, we have no choice but to wish him well and on a personal level we’ll be really happy for him and professionally not so much.”
Dodgers Nation reported last week that Hernández wanted to re-sign with the Dodgers, but the hold-up was on L.A.’s end. On Wednesday, Dodgers Nation caught up with Bob Nightengale of USA Today who revealed what that hold-up was.
“I think pursuits have gotten more heavy from other teams, the teams that didn’t get (Juan) Soto.” Nightengale said. “I would imagine that Teoscar Hernández would love to get that fourth year instead of making it a three-year, $65, $70 million contract — then it’s a four-year, over $80 million.”
While many in the industry still expect Hernández to re-sign with the Dodgers, Friedman’s comments don’t exactly make it seem like a sure thing.
The Dodgers know what Hernández brings to the table as a run producer, clutch performer, and clubhouse presence. At the same time, he’s 32 years old and a below-average defender in the outfield.
The Dodgers likely want to be careful about shelling out a large contract with too many years, as they don’t want that contract to come back to hurt them. At the same time, though, they knew how crucial Hernández was to the 2024 World Series run.
In addition to the Dodgers, the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to Hernández this offseason.
More News: Teoscar Hernández Likes Instagram Post From Blue Jays Teammate Sparking Speculation
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