The Los Angeles Dodgers entered MLB free agency widely viewed as the favorites to sign Teoscar Hernandez, bringing back their All-Star outfielder for 2025 and beyond. However, recent MLB news seems to suggest a reunion is growing increasingly unlikely.
Los Angeles opened free agency with a splash, signing starting pitcher Blake Snell away from the San Francisco Giants. Not long after, the club agreed to a one-year contract with outfielder Michael Conforto. The length of the deal and Conforto’s background immediately suggested he could replace Hernandez in the Dodgers lineup next season.
In the days since, MLB rumors have emerged detailing interest from the Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Yankees in Hernandez. Coming off an All-Star season, the 32-year-old is thriving in a market that is much stronger for him than it was a year ago. However, that might come at the Dodgers’ expense.
While Mark Feinsand of MLB.com previously reported that the Dodgers remain interested in re-signing Hernandez after landing Confort, he currently seems to be out of the club’s price range. Despite the club’s efforts to bridge the gap in negotiations, per David Vassegh, ESPN‘s Aidan Gonzalez reports that a gap remains in negotiations.
Part of the problem, per Noah Camras
, is that Hernandez doesn’t want deferrals to be part of his contract. Los Angeles has included deferred money in several of its deals with top players, totaling more than $1 million in deferred payouts after 2030.
- Los Angeles Dodgers payroll 2025 (FanGraphs): $337 million, first in MLB
It’s still worth noting that Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic previously shared on “Foul Territory” that he still expects Hernandez to be part of the Dodgers lineup in 2025. However, contract negotiations between the two sides have been ongoing for weeks and a gap remains.
If Hernandez lands elsewhere, Los Angeles will likely still explore its options in MLB free agency to replace Hernandez. The club is also pursuing more bullpen help after re-signing Blake Treinen on a two-year deal. With the Yankees aggressively pursuing another All-Star addition of their own, it appears the two World Series teams will be in an arms race for the rest of the offseason.
Leave a Reply