114.1 MPH off the bat as Teoscar Hernández CRUSHED his 30th homer of the season 🚀
An in-depth look at the Blue Jays pivot options this offseason – OF Teoscar Hernández
Photo credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea - USA Today
Dec 10, 2024, 16:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 10, 2024, 12:17 EST
With Juan Soto’s massive 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets this past weekend, the free agent market has become much more active as the rest of the league finds creative ways to fill their roster needs. Subsequently, Alex Cobb, Carson Kelly, Jordan Romano and Blake Treinen have all signed new contracts and more free agents will be off the board sooner rather than later.
After missing out on Soto, the Toronto Blue Jays are now looking at other free agents who can strengthen the existing roster. While there are no Soto-like superstar-level players on the market currently, plenty of viable outfielders are still available who can help the Blue Jays make a playoff push in 2025. Toronto’s outfield has been filled with defensive All-Stars but it’s no secret that the team has been sorely missing an offensive powerhouse in the outfield who can complement Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s bat in the lineup.
One player who can tick off a few boxes for the Blue Jays is outfielder Teoscar Hernández.
Hernández’s Strengths
After spending the 2023 season with the Seattle Mariners, Hernández revived his reputation with the Los Angeles Dodgers this past season – betting on himself to have a resurgent campaign. Through 154 games, the Dominican outfielder slashed .272/.339/.501 and clubbed 33 home runs to go along with a .840 OPS and 99 RBIs. He also generated a 137 OPS+ – his highest mark since the 2021 season – and earned his second All-Star nod as well as taking home the 2024 Home Run Derby championship honour.
Hernández mashed left-handed pitching with the Dodgers in 2024 with a .290 batting average and he has been productive in low-leverage (.277), medium-leverage (.267) and high-leverage (.262) situations. In particular, the outfielder excelled in hitting with men in scoring position, as he produced a .288 BA and a .943 OPS – driving in 71 runs. In short, Hernández’s power bat can bring relief to the Blue Jays’ offensive core that’s been riddled with underperformance for the past couple of years.
Hernández’s strikeout numbers remain on the high side and his defensive metrics are below average even after his stint with the newest World Series champions, but his greatest strength is offsetting those drawbacks with his timely power hitting and average baserunning, which ranked at a +1 value (62nd percentile).
At his best, Hernández slashed .296/.346/.524 and homered 32 times with the Blue Jays in 2021. His strikeout was at its lowest with 24.9%. In addition, the outfielder has a strong track to his credit, recording a .263 average with 923 hits, 192 home runs and 572 RBIs throughout his career. He’s also won three Silver Slugger awards in that span, highlighting his effective hit tools. The Dodgers helped the outfielder find his groove back and the Blue Jays can also bet on bringing the offensive skills back if they are seriously considering a potential reunion with an old friend.
Why the Blue Jays should pivot to Hernández
Before his trade to the Mariners, Hernández complimented the top of the lineup for the Blue Jays after his breakout campaign during the shortened 2020 season. He played the role of clean-up hitter very effectively and flashed his power in the playoffs with Toronto in 2022 when he hit two home runs during the AL Wild Card against Seattle.
Asked Ross Atkins if there is interest in a possible reunion with Teoscar Hernandez: “We are definitely interested in figuring out a way for that yo be a possibility.” #BlueJays
But when the Blue Jays’ playoff dreams got shut out by the Mariners that year, the team pivoted to relief and defensive specialists, making the decision to part with power hitters like Hernández in the process.
Looking back, this trade has created quite the ripple effect for Toronto as the team failed to record any playoff wins despite stellar pitching and defence. These playoff mishaps served as an agonizing reminder for the importance of offensive output. As the winter meeting kicks off, offence has once again become a priority for a Blue Jays squad looking to add some thunder amongst the contact hitters.
Juan Soto would have been a marvellous addition to Toronto’s roster with his persistence and eye at the plate. However, he was a longshot to sign with the Blue Jays, as both New York teams raised tension to outbid one another. In contrast, Hernández offers a much more practical solution for the Blue Jays’ lineup given his familiarity. This sentiment was echoed by general manager Ross Atkins at the Winter Meetings, “We are definitely interested in figuring out a way for that to be a possibility.”
According to MLB Trade Rumours, the slugger is projected to earn a three-year, $60 million pact. This is a fraction of Soto’s contract that could go a long way for the Jays if they aim to run it back with the existing core.