$60M+ Not Enough: Dodgers Willing to Break Bank for All-star Free Agent

The Los Angeles Dodgers already made a blockbuster deal this winter by signing free agent pitcher Blake Snell, but there are reports that the Dodgers will make another splash by signing an All-Star outfielder to a lucrative deal.

If the Dodgers sign Teoscar Hernández to a three-year, $60 million deal, then it’s almost guaranteed that Juan Soto won’t be joining the reigning World Series champions.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Hernández should return to the Dodgers on a multi-year deal worth approximately $60 million. Rosenthal said it was his “best guess” for the outfielder’s potential deal with the Dodgers.

There are whispers that the Dodgers are close to finalizing a deal with Hernández, but no firm number has been confirmed. Rosenthal also isn’t the only MLB insider that believes the fan favorite will be returning to Los Angeles.

MLB insider Bob Nightengale offered his opinion on whether Hernández will return to the Dodgers in a conversation with Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain.

“Yeah, they’re probably letting him look around and say, ‘Okay, if someone blows us away, fine,’” Nightengale said. “Usually, the Dodgers set a mark and say, ‘Okay, if you’re willing to sign for this, we’ll do it. Otherwise, we’ll turn our attention somewhere else.’

“I think Teoscar Hernández comes back. He loved playing with the Dodgers, and you saw during the postseason, during the parade, everybody raved about what a great teammate he was. So, I think Teoscar Hernández is back, and then you kind of fill in from there. But, you know, if Teoscar Hernández decides not to come back, they’ll grab someone else. There’s certainly enough outfielders out there. They do have some depth with the returning guys they have.”

There is a general consensus that Hernández likely won’t sign a deal until Soto has already chosen a team. Fans will likely have to wait until during or after the Winter Meetings for Hernández and the Dodgers to reveal whether the two parties are in for a reunion.

Hernández emerged a beloved player in Los Angeles, but he also put up the numbers to show his worth in the lineup. Hernández hit a career-high 33 home runs, was named an All-Star and won the Home Run Derby, all in his first year with the Dodgers.