2-time All-Star slugger says Red Sox lowballed him in free agency

Aug 23, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Hats and gloves from the Boston Red Sox team near the edge of the dugout before the game against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox might like to have one free-agent negotiation back.

Speaking this week amid a weekend series against the Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Teoscar Hernandez spoke about how he ended up with the Dodgers over the Red Sox, whom he was also in talks with during the winter. Hernandez said that Boston offered him what he saw as “a bad deal.”

“[The Red Sox offer] was two years, $28 [million],” Hernandez told the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast. “Obviously, I was not going to go and spend my free agency trying to get a bad deal.

“At the end of the day, I love the Red Sox, and it was one of my favorite teams [growing up],” Hernandez added. “And I love playing [at Fenway Park]. But at the end of the day I have to [do] what is best for me and my career and my family.”

Boston’s offer of two years probably wasn’t the issue since many upper-tier free agents last offseason (including Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Matt Chapman, and Cody Bellinger) ended up settling for shorter-term contracts. But the average annual value of just $14 million probably was an issue. That would have paid Hernandez less per year than the likes of fellow outfielders Andrew Benintendi, Mitch Haniger, and Byron Buxton.

Hernandez, 31, ended up betting on himself by taking a one-year, $23.5 million contract with the Dodgers. It definitely looks like the right decision thus far as Hernandez recently made the NL All-Star team and also just won the Home Run Derby. On the season, he is now hitting .261 with 19 home runs and 62 RBIs through just 96 games.

As for the Red Sox, they are clearly making a concerted effort to curb their spending and are now outside of the top-ten MLB teams in total payroll this season. But that strategy has also irked some big names within the team and may have cost them their opportunity to sign Hernandez this past offseason as well.