Teoscar Hernandez Sends Thank You Message to Dodgers Fans As He Enters Free Agency
If there is anything Dodgers fans have learned about Teoscar Hernández this season, it’s that he is 100 percent genuine.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ left fielder took to Instagram on Monday thanking fans for an incredible 2024 season.
“What a year,” he wrote. “I want to take a moment to thank all the fans for their incredible support throughout this season. You are the driving force that pushes us to give our best in every game, and your energy and passion are felt in every corner of the stadium.”
Hernández has made it clear he’d like to stay in Los Angeles for the long haul. Though no contract extension talks took place during the season, the Dodgers recently extended him a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer and are likely to pursue bringing him back.
Hernández has echoed this interest, stating that rejoining the Dodgers remains a top priority for him.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to come back,” Hernández said after the Dodgers’ World Series parade.
The Dodgers appeared to create a more pressing need in the outfield, with general manager Brandon Gomes announcing during the annual general manager meetings that Mookie Betts will likely move back to the infield in 2025. The team also sees him as their top candidate to take over in right field, filling the spot left by Betts.
“We’ll have conversations with Teo and his group ASAP,” Gomes said.
Hernández ranks as the No. 11 free agent on The Athletic’s top 40 MLB free agents list. Last offseason, he aimed for a multiyear deal, but the Mariners didn’t offer a qualifying offer, and the market wasn’t what he’d hoped for. So, he took a one-year, $23.5 million contract with the Dodgers — $8.5 million of it deferred — and that gamble paid off.
At 32, he had one of his best seasons yet, setting a career-high with 33 homers while covering both corner outfield positions. His stellar performance earned him a second All-Star nod, and he even took home the Home Run Derby title. He followed it up by playing a key role in the Dodgers’ run to the World Series.
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