Free agent Teoscar Hernández just won a World Series and is now drawing interest in the early days of the offseason. The Red Sox and Orioles are interested in the outfielder, reports Jon Morosi of MLB Network on X. The Dodgers and Hernández also have mutual interest in a reunion, per Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports.
Hernández, 32, was a free agent a year ago and received interest from the Red Sox at that time. Chris Cotillo of MassLive (X link) reported that the Sox offered him $28MM over a two-year deal, numbers that were later confirmed by the player himself when speaking to Rob Bradford of WEEI and the Baseball Isn’t Boring Podcast.
He turned down that offer and instead took a slightly smaller guarantee on a one-year pact with the Dodgers. That deal paid him $23.5MM with some deferrals, but perhaps most importantly, allowed him to return to free agency after hopefully having a bounceback year.
That bet on himself looks like it will pay off well. From 2020 to 2022, he slashed .283/.333/.519 for the Blue Jays, production that led to a 132 wRC+. His defense wasn’t great but he did steal 24 bases in that stretch and the offense was undeniable. He was traded to the Mariners prior to 2023 and had a down year at the plate, hitting .258/.305/.435 for a 106 wRC+. With that weak platform year, his free agent market was fairly tepid, including the aforementioned offer from Boston.
But his year with Los Angeles could hardly have gone much better, as he hit .272/.339/.501 for a 134 wRC+, right back to his previous form. His defensive metrics still weren’t great but he swiped another 12 bags. He got into 16 playoff games and hit .250/.352/.417 for a 119 wRC+. On MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents post, we predicted that he could secure a three-year, $60MM deal this time around.
Whether he can get that deal or not, the Sox would almost certainly have to increase their offer from a year ago. If they are willing to do so, his right-handed swing would fit well on a roster with plenty of left-handed bats. Rafael Devers, Triston Casas, Masataka Yoshida, Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu all hit from the left side, as do prospects Kyle Teel, Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony.
Last year, the Sox complemented their lefty outfielders by having Tyler O’Neill, who had a good season in a specific way. He was injured a few times, struck out a bunch and did most of his damage against lefties, but still had a strong season overall. He hit 31 home runs in 113 games for a .241/.336/.511 slash line and 131 wRC+, all that despite a 33.6% strikeout rate and a meager 91 wRC+ against righties.
Hernández should be ranked a bit above O’Neill as he has a slight edge in most of those areas. His 28.8% strikeout rate in 2024 was high but not as bad as O’Neill’s. He does have platoon splits, though not to the same extent as O’Neill. Hernández has a 140/113 wRC+ split in his career and was at 154/126 in 2024. He’s also far more durable, having played at least 125 games in each of the past six full seasons, whereas O’Neill has only hit that number once in his career.
Either could work as the needed righty for Boston. Hernández would arguably be better but would also likely cost more. O’Neill was predicted by MLBTR for a three-year deal just like Hernández but with a lesser guarantee of $42MM. However, Hernández received a qualifying offer from the Dodgers and is therefore tied to draft pick forfeiture, whereas O’Neill is not. Per Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe on X, the Sox remain engaged with O’Neill’s camp and could potentially bring him back.
Either should fit in the club’s budget. RosterResource projects the club for a payroll of $136MM right now, more than $50MM below where they were in 2024. They’re about $70MM below the competitive balance tax line. They have needs on the pitching staff but could certainly spend on an outfielder if they want.
For the Orioles, they are a logical fit for similar reasons. Their lineup features lefties Gunnar Henderson, Ryan O’Hearn, Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad and Jackson Holliday. Prospects Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers are also lefty swingers. Their outfield just lost switch-hitting outfielder Anthony Santander to free agency, so Hernández could slot in as Santander’s replacement if the O’s don’t re-sign him.
Orioles general manager Mike Elias recently identified a right-handed hitting outfielder as an offseason target, per Jake Rill of MLB.com. The big question is how much spending capacity the club will have this winter. In the past six years, they haven’t given a free agent a multi-year deal, with Craig Kimbrel’s $13MM guarantee on a one-year pact their largest expenditure.
For much of that time, they were rebuilding and then the club was up for sale. David Rubenstein took over ownership officially just as the 2024 season was getting started. It has been expected that the club will get a bit more aggressive and their trade deadline behavior gave some encouraging signs in that regard. They took on notable money to acquire Zach Eflin and Seranthony Domínguez, but it’s still unknown exactly how far they plan to go this winter.
“Whether it’s free-agent spending or it’s support for my staff or the baseball organization, I think we have everything that we need financially to make the optimal decisions for the long-term health of the franchise. And a lot of that’s going to be in my judgment,” Elias said this week. “But certainly, if we have something that we want to do and we need financial support for it, I’m exceedingly confident that that’s going to be there.”
Returning to the Dodgers is also easy to see, especially with the club planning to move Mookie Betts back to the infield next year. That means the projected outfield currently consists of Andy Pages, James Outman and utility guys like Tommy Edman and Chris Taylor. While the Dodgers could easily fit Hernández in there, they will probably first see how things play out with their reported interest in Juan Soto.
Until Breslow signs a big name ticket, anyone else concerned that it’s just more rhetoric?
Ah, the over used rhetoric word. Heard that way too much in this political season. But you’re right. Red Sox- much ado about nothing
Rhetoric is the right word. Full throttle was used by the front office last season, and that didn’t happen.
The Red Sox DO NOT need to sign a FA big $$ outfielder who’s pretty good. They’re loaded on the grass and they’re going to let another pretty good outfielder walk away.
I think they even have to trade from their abundance and get a decent pitcher. I’m talking about Jaren Duran and maybe the gold Glover in right as well.
So they’re definitely not going to sign this guy which I guess it means it’s just rhetoric LOL.
Good point, Gary. They recently signed Devers to a $331M extension and Story to a $140M deal and people still question their willingness to spend.
Suit – the Devers deal was a big overpay and they were forced into it by blooms bungling things so badly.
Story’s deal was, again, bloom trying to get cute with things and will go down as a pretty horrible contract.
I can’t look at either as a sign of willingness to spend when a top 5 revenue team is spending an actual payroll that falls into the middle of the pack for mlb.
They’re big chunks of money going to a single player, but, don’t support the idea the team is willing to spend commensurate with its revenue. The best they can support is the willingness to have higher aav fa contracts by over-allocating big chunks to a single guy out of from a sub-par level of spending pool for the season. Until we see an actual fiscal year payroll back in at least the top 8, but, really should be top 5, it’s a fair criticism to argue the ‘not willing to spend’ angle
Henry signed off on both so I blame ownership. With Devers, it was an overpay to try to salvage good will.
GA: That’s BS. I just cited two examples of the Red Sox spending and you are saying they don’t count. Was John Henry forced into being a billionaire? I don’t think so.
What I said is they’re not sufficient proof of willingness to spend, or sufficient to refute claims of being cheap on payroll.
A minimum wage employee can go out and buy a pair of designer shoes and overpay on a single outfit. Neither would support claims they’re willing to spend big on a wardrobe when the rest of their clothes are all homemade or come from goodwill and Walmart.
GA: If $331M does not impress you, nothing will. Cheap teams don’t spend that kind of money.
I just told you what would.
But no, being ranked outside the top 10 in mlb in both actual payroll (even when accounting for retained and buried payroll no less!!!) and in cbt figures, then no it does not impress me just because they handed out one bad bloated contract of over a decade long.
When the teams above and below you on payroll are the blue jays and cardinals, and, you hadn’t sold off expensive players at the deadline to save money to get there, that is not impressive if you’re solidly within the top 5 revenue producing ball clubs for many many years running.
When the teams above and below you on CBT taxation are those same Jays and the D-backs, again, and, you are still in the middle third of mlb in ranked order despite revenue through the roof, again, same answer.
I think the Red Sox are trying to spend smartly instead of cheaply. I think they are avoiding long, expensive deals for older free agents that often go bad. Avoiding these deals will result in a lower payroll, but it doesn’t mean they are cheap.
Gary – the Sox desperately need a true middle of the order RHB and Teoscar is it.
That being said, they would need to trade Masataka if they sign Teoscar. Free up the DH spot for their surplus of OF to rotate through.
Dewey – yep. I find it comical how far off the Sox were for Teoscar. Two year deal for slightly more than his one yes pact with the Dodgers.
Can’t wait to see how far off they will be this time.
This is our full throttle! It is the full throttle that will go forth from this moment and this time, a full throttle that will guide us, and we will be forever transformed by it.
I’d bet on LA wanting what worked for them to keep working.
Dodgers resign Teo, sign Adames and a frontline starter, Sasaki if he’s posted, otherwise Snell or Fried.
Teoscar will most likely be back with the Dodgers.
O’neill is a platoon player… that’s it. Any team offering him a full time position is foolish.
ONeill was a league average hitter against righties in 2024
He was Aaron Judge against lefties
That’s not a platoon player.
91 wRC+ against RHP isn’t really league average. .208/.290/.403.
His career is an above average 750 OPS
You telling me you didn’t notice that?
The difference is between his career numbers and his 2024 numbers against righties is all BABIP.
@blackpink “O’Neill was a league average hitter against righties in 2024.”
Vtadave pointed out (as the the article also did) how O’Neill was below average against RHPs in ’24.
Blackpink responds with an unqualified comment about a career 750 OPS.
He was slightly below average because OPS+ focuses more on OBP and not slugging. His OPS was darn near average.
His career OPS, which is definitely relevant for predicting the future, says he’s above average against righties.
So what’s the point? That by the specific definition of OPS+ he’s slightly below average for 2024 or THAT HES NOT A PLATOON PLAYER.
Because thats the comment I replied to chief.
O’Neil is not for this club unless you get a second righty bat. Too injury prone to be the only righty bopper at Fenway. Remember the days of Rice, Fisk, Evans and Hobson? And they had Yaz and Lynn from the left side. Had ownership not screwed up and that lineup stayed together…
Dewey, even then he’s not the right fit.
Refsnyder is back, plays OF, and bats RH, technically meeting your definition.
These writers need to be better. There’s no way the Sox pony up enough money to sign Teoscar.
They need another outfielder like they need a hole in the head. Guys are lining up around the block to play on the grass at Fenway, and that’s just dudes from their own system, LOL.
Teo > Soto. U already know what chemistry Teo brings to the organization … winning ! That would leave alot of money to be spent on other areas of team not giving Soto 600-700 Million. Dodgers don’t need Soto.
Teo was terrific for the Dodgers but is not better than Soto. Winning? Both have done that. Chemistry? Winning is a part of that. Otherwise, fans have no idea about chemistry because none of us have been in a Major League clubhouse with either player.
The Dodgers have a lot coming off the books now and in the next few seasons. If they want Soto, there’s room on the payroll. Whatever happens, I trust the Dodger’s FO to do what they believe is necessary to improve the team.
It’s true that chemistry is an overused word, but we can also see which players always seem to be upbeat and take the game’s ups and downs in stride. We know from our own lives that this kind of person is a lot easier to be around every day than an egotistical sourpuss. So call it what you will, but it’s pretty clear Teo Hernandez is one of the former and as a result is well liked by his teammates. He’d be a positive influence on any clubhouse.
Boston needs to make a trade because they need to get rid of a lefty hitter in the process of finding a righty.
Teo makes no sense for the RS. It feels like I hear this every year. The RS have 3 current outfielders, 2 very good OF prospects, and one good OF prospect. I’d be shocked if they added a FA OF.
Joe – I wouldnt be shocked, but, I would *probably* be disappointed because it would mean they traded away some of the best products coming from the last 5 years of pain and austerity.
Giving 20-25m/yr to a FA outfielder while trading away multiple cheap controllable talent pieces for a player with likely only 2-3 seasons left sounds a lot worse than playing those guys making almost nothing and doling out big money FA pitching deals to the right guys
Teo is an integral part of the team and definitely should be signed. He provided consistent offense, while also being a positive influence in the clubhouse alls eason. He’s a winner and the Dodgers should prioritize bringing him back. Teo, Buehler, Adames and Friend should be the main priorities this offseason and not Soto.
If guys are into sports betting and need picks, go check out @Lowkeyrothstein on instagram