Red Sox
Juan Soto has dominated this offseason as he patiently decides on his next team. And once Soto signs his massive contract, many other pieces across the MLB will begin to fall.
Among the largest of those is one other outfielder, Teoscar Hernandez. His slow begin to free agency is probably going a direct results of the Soto sweepstakes. Since he can also be a top-notch outfielder, the marketplace for Hernandez is almost equivalent to Soto's.
As MassLive's Chris Cotillo reports, Hernandez's market is It is predicted to “heat up” after being signed by Soto. The Red Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are all reportedly involved.
So it's possible that immediately after the Soto bidding war ends, Boston and New York will immediately find themselves embroiled in one other free agent bidding war if each fail to win the contract.
“Obviously, Hernandez is a very logical pivot for teams not to sign Soto. He is expected to let it go,” Cotillo wrote.
Hernandez's one-year deal last season looked as if it would work out well, because the outfielder had a robust season, winning a World Series and generating quite a lot of buzz that gave the impression to be missing in his last free agency run.
All three prospects should have the opportunity to stake a legitimate claim on Hernandez on this free agency window.
The Red Sox showed interest in Hernandez last offseason, reportedly offering the slugger a two-year contract, but didn’t meet the worth Hernandez was in search of. Still, the 32-year-old expressed interest in Boston, and if the Red Sox ownership group is to be believed, the team is more willing to spend money this offseason.
The Dodgers, in fact, signed Hernandez last season, and The Athletic reported mutual interest within the two teams reaching a longer-term deal to retain the important thing player.
And the Yankees reached the World Series last season, giving them a leg up on what they will offer Hernandez from a competitive standpoint because the Red Sox attempt to emerge from a difficult few years. New York also has a greater track record of opening the wallet than Boston in recent offseasons.
If the Red Sox waive Soto, luring Hernandez to Boston could be an excellent idea for each parties. Hernandez is a right-handed hitter who would likely fill the production void left by Tyler O'Neill, who signed with the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
It's price noting that last month Jim Bodwen listed Hernandez and Anthony Santander as two players who were “more likely” to sign with the Red Sox than Soto. Separate reports on Saturday suggested Boston has now done so, too I contacted Santander.
Hernandez batted .272 with 33 home runs and 99 RBI in 2024. He could be an addition to Boston's midfield.
image credit : www.boston.com