Reviews from the weekend instructed that the Blue Jays had solely restricted curiosity in a reunion with Teoscar Hernandez, as Toronto was centered on Juan Soto after which on Anthony Santander as its subsequent alternative for an outfield improve. GM Ross Atkins made one thing of a clearer assertion of the Jays’ stance on Hernandez, telling the Toronto Star’s Gregor Chisholm and different reporters that “there are such a lot of positives about him that we’re undoubtedly desirous about determining a manner for that to be a risk.”
Hernandez was a prospect combating for taking part in time in a crowded Astros outfield on the time of the July 2017 commerce deadline, however his profession path modified when Houston dealt Hernandez and Nori Aoki to Toronto for veteran reliever Francisco Liriano. It was a win-win on each side, as Liriano pitched effectively within the playoffs to assist Houston win the World Sequence, and Hernandez emerged as an influence bat over his six seasons in Toronto. Hernandez hit .263/.320/.503 with 129 house runs in 2419 PA from 2017-22, twice successful AL Silver Slugger honors.
As potent as Hernandez’s bat was, his penchant for strikeouts and his underwhelming protection led the Blue Jays to commerce him to the Mariners for Erik Swanson in the course of the 2022-23 offseason. Swanson loved a robust season within the Jays’ bullpen in 2023 whereas Hernandez’s numbers took a dip (to a 106 wRC+) in Seattle, so the slugger headed into free company on the heels of a reasonably underwhelming platform 12 months.
Hernandez selected to guess on himself by taking a one-year, $23.5MM contract with the Dodgers, guessing that he would return to kind in Los Angeles and put himself in form for a a lot pricier deal this winter. The choice was a hit in each sense of the phrase, as Hernandez not solely hit .272/.339/.501 with 33 house runs, he additionally received his first World Sequence ring as a significant a part of the Dodgers’ title run.
Buying and selling Hernandez was removed from the one cause for the Blue Jays’ offensive struggles over the past two seasons, as inconsistent to mediocre performances from just about everybody (even Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2023, earlier than his large return to kind this previous season) have turned the lineup into an enormous query mark. Past Soto and Santander, the Jays have additionally been linked to Alex Bregman, Ha-Seong Kim, and Willy Adames because the crew has appeared to jumpstart a return to competition within the Jays’ final season of management over Guerrero and Bo Bichette.
With Soto and Adames now off the market, Hernandez’s inventory has solely improved as one of many high bats remaining on the free agent market. MLBTR ranked him eleventh on our record of the offseason’s high 50 free brokers and projected Hernandez for a three-year, $60MM deal as he enters his age-32 season. As a result of Hernandez rejected the Dodgers’ qualifying provide, the Jays must surrender $500K in worldwide bonus pool cash and their second-highest alternative within the 2025 draft to signal him or some other QO-rejecting free agent. The Blue Jays had been prepared to present that compensatory bundle and upwards of $700MM to signal Soto, so technically, some cash is there to make a a lot decrease bid for Hernandez’s companies.
As simple as putting in Hernandez again in left subject could be for the Jays, it isn’t essentially sure that he’d be desirous to rejoin a crew that somewhat unceremoniously dealt him away two years in the past. The Yankees, Crimson Sox, and Dodgers additionally appear to be motivated suitors because of their very own misses within the Soto sweepstakes. With regard to Los Angeles, what appeared to be a probable reunion between Hernandez and the Dodgers has but to materialize because of a spot in negotiations, plus L.A. additionally added Michael Conforto to its outfield combine.
