Red Sox (Again) Named Potential Suitor For This Free Agent Slugger

If the Red Sox are ready to throw around some money this winter, Teoscar Hernández would (once again) be a very nice addition to the Boston lineup.

The Red Sox were linked to the slugger last winter, but he ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Boston, according to Hernández, offered a two-year, $28 million deal. Hernández seemingly wanted another year on the deal, which he obviously didn’t get. Instead, he signed a one-year, $23.5 million contract with the Dodgers to give himself another shot at free agency following the 2024 season.

It turned out to be a savvy move.

Hernández had one of the best seasons of his career. He made the National League All-Star team on his way to hitting .272 with 33 home runs and 99 RBIs; his 4.3 wins above replacement (Baseball Reference) was the best performance of his career. He put the cherry on top with a solid postseason, driving in 13 runs in 16 games for the Dodgers on the way to winning the World Series.

Now, Hernández gets to go back to the market hoping to really cash in on a long-term deal. According to ESPN.com’s Alden Gonzalez, who knows the Dodgers as well as anyone, Hernández wants long-term security. According to Gonzalez, he “wants to be a Dodger” but also wants more term. If the Red Sox are willing to bump up their offer, Gonzalez believes they could pry him out of Los Angeles.

“(The Red Sox) were the most aggressive after him last offseason, presenting a two-year offer,” Gonzalez wrote Monday on ESPN.com. “Perhaps they kick in the extra year or two and get it done. Hernández wants a bigger deal, but he also wants to win.”

Hernández might make even more sense for the Red Sox this year. They have acknowledged they need more right-handed pop. That desire becomes even more intense if Tyler O’Neill ultimately walks in free agency. Hernández isn’t going to make the Red Sox any better defensively. But he could hold down left field at Fenway Park, where the defensive demands in terms of both ground covered and need for arm strength aren’t as intense. He’d also be a tremendous fit in the middle of a lineup that already features Rafael Devers and could soon include the likes of Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer.

Hernández has also spoken highly of Boston and Fenway Park in the past, proof he really could be a perfect fit for the Red Sox this winter.