Report reveals biggest threat to Dodgers for Teoscar Hernandez

Jun 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández (37) is interviewed before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Tesocar Hernandez may be signing with a familiar team in free agency one way or another.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Monday that the Toronto Blue Jays may be the most logical destination for the veteran slugger Hernandez if he does not return to the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency. Rosenthal adds that reuniting with Hernandez could be a significant step for Toronto in retaining Vladimir Guerrero Jr., whom Hernandez shares a close relationship with.

The righty-hitting Hernandez, 32, is returning to free agency after signing a one-year deal with the Dodgers last winter. That ended up being an excellent move by Hernandez as he boosted his value with a superb 2024. Hernandez was an All-Star and a Silver Slugger winner, bashed a career-high 33 home runs and also won the Home Run Derby, and played a major part in the Dodgers’ World Series victory as their cleanup hitter.

The Dodgers should still be favored to bring back Hernandez, and Rosenthal himself reveals that his “best guess” is that Hernandez will agree to a three-year deal worth over $60 million to return to Los Angeles. But the history is also there with the Blue Jays, whom Hernandez played for from 2018-22 and was an All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger with.

Toronto traded Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners before the 2023 season for pitchers Erik Swanson and Adam Macko, a decision widely panned as a mistake. Now they may be getting a chance to rectify that mistake (as well as get some revenge on the Dodgers for last offseason’s Shohei Ohtani saga).