As the search for an impact hitter continues, the Toronto Blue Jays remain open to the possibility of reacquiring free-agent outfielder Teoscar Hernández, who&#8217;s coming off a World Series championship with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 
For much of this winter, the industry-wide expectation was that Hernández&#8217;s preference was to return to the Dodgers organization in 2025, and it appears that remains the case, as Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation reported Thursday. Both sides have yet to agree on an extension, though.
McKain added that the three-time Silver Slugger has garnered interest from a few other clubs, with the Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox atop that list, followed by the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Teoscar Hernandez has received multiple offers, but is still prioritizing re-signing with the Dodgers, sources tell me.
The Blue Jays are currently in 2nd, with the Red Sox a distant 3rd.
The Yankees are less of a priority. The Phillies and Reds have also checked in.
— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMAC_LA/status/1867376313121804585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
According to <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42864704/los-angeles-dodgers-michael-conforto-reach-1-year-17-million-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&#8217;s Alden Gonzalez</a>, the Dodgers and Hernández&#8217;s camp have been negotiating for weeks but haven&#8217;t been able to bridge the gap in contract demands.
One source told McKain that <a href="https://dodgersnation.com/huge-teoscar-hernandez-update-involving-dodgers-blue-jays-mystery-teams-contract-hold-up-and-more-sources/2024/12/12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the major holdups are issues surrounding the deal&#8217;s average annual value and signing bonus</a>. Additionally, he reports there&#8217;s a belief that Hernández isn&#8217;t willing to include any contract deferrals, as he did in the one-year, $23.5-million contract signed last off-season.
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins &#8212; who typically avoids highlighting individual free agents &#8212; openly expressed the franchise&#8217;s interest in exploring a reunion with the two-time All-Star earlier this week at the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ross Atkins said the Blue Jays &#8220;absolutely&#8221; have interest in a reunion with Teoscar Hernandez
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/bnicholsonsmith/status/1866274248945217813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
With Los Angeles issuing Hernández a qualifying offer, Toronto &#8212; or any other team he signed with &#8212; would be required to surrender a 2025 second-round pick and $500,000 from its international bonus pool as a team that doesn&#8217;t receive revenue sharing and didn&#8217;t exceed the luxury tax last season.
Returning to the Dodgers remains the most likely outcome for the 32-year-old outfielder. However, it&#8217;s always possible another club could snatch him away by outbidding his former employer, like offering an extra year.
Hernández arrived to the Blue Jays in a midseason trade in 2017 and spent six seasons north of the border, logging 609 career games with the franchise. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners after the &#8217;22 campaign, sending right-hander Erik Swanson and left-hander Adam Macko the other way.
The right-handed-hitting slugger blasted a career-high 33 home runs last season, posting 99 RBIs and a .272/.339/.501 slash line while accounting for a 134 wRC+ in 154 games, worth 3.5 fWAR.
It&#8217;s believed Hernández is currently training in Flordia, as first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. &#8212; who spends his off-season workouts at a private gym in the Sunshine State &#8212; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDdIAIhOoIe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently posted a picture of himself via Instagram</a> alongside the free-agent outfielder and Atlanta&#8217;s Reynaldo López.
If Hernández returns to the Dodgers, the next pivot point for the Blue Jays could be fellow outfielder Anthony Santander, who enjoyed a career year with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, hitting 44 home runs and 102 RBIs while slashing .235/.308/.506 in 155 contests.

As the search for an impact hitter continues, the Toronto Blue Jays remain open to the possibility of reacquiring free-agent outfielder Teoscar Hernández, who's coming off a World Series championship with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

For much of this winter, the industry-wide expectation was that Hernández's preference was to return to the Dodgers organization in 2025, and it appears that remains the case, as Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation reported Thursday. Both sides have yet to agree on an extension, though.

McKain added that the three-time Silver Slugger has garnered interest from a few other clubs, with the Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox atop that list, followed by the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Teoscar Hernandez has received multiple offers, but is still prioritizing re-signing with the Dodgers, sources tell me.
The Blue Jays are currently in 2nd, with the Red Sox a distant 3rd.

The Yankees are less of a priority. The Phillies and Reds have also checked in.

— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMAC_LA/status/1867376313121804585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
According to <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42864704/los-angeles-dodgers-michael-conforto-reach-1-year-17-million-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Alden Gonzalez</a>, the Dodgers and Hernández's camp have been negotiating for weeks but haven't been able to bridge the gap in contract demands.

One source told McKain that <a href="https://dodgersnation.com/huge-teoscar-hernandez-update-involving-dodgers-blue-jays-mystery-teams-contract-hold-up-and-more-sources/2024/12/12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the major holdups are issues surrounding the deal's average annual value and signing bonus</a>. Additionally, he reports there's a belief that Hernández isn't willing to include any contract deferrals, as he did in the one-year, $23.5-million contract signed last off-season.

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins -- who typically avoids highlighting individual free agents -- openly expressed the franchise's interest in exploring a reunion with the two-time All-Star earlier this week at the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ross Atkins said the Blue Jays "absolutely" have interest in a reunion with Teoscar Hernandez
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/bnicholsonsmith/status/1866274248945217813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
With Los Angeles issuing Hernández a qualifying offer, Toronto -- or any other team he signed with -- would be required to surrender a 2025 second-round pick and $500,000 from its international bonus pool as a team that doesn't receive revenue sharing and didn't exceed the luxury tax last season.

Returning to the Dodgers remains the most likely outcome for the 32-year-old outfielder. However, it's always possible another club could snatch him away by outbidding his former employer, like offering an extra year.

Hernández arrived to the Blue Jays in a midseason trade in 2017 and spent six seasons north of the border, logging 609 career games with the franchise. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners after the '22 campaign, sending right-hander Erik Swanson and left-hander Adam Macko the other way.

The right-handed-hitting slugger blasted a career-high 33 home runs last season, posting 99 RBIs and a .272/.339/.501 slash line while accounting for a 134 wRC+ in 154 games, worth 3.5 fWAR.

It's believed Hernández is currently training in Flordia, as first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. -- who spends his off-season workouts at a private gym in the Sunshine State -- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDdIAIhOoIe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently posted a picture of himself via Instagram</a> alongside the free-agent outfielder and Atlanta's Reynaldo López.

If Hernández returns to the Dodgers, the next pivot point for the Blue Jays could be fellow outfielder Anthony Santander, who enjoyed a career year with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, hitting 44 home runs and 102 RBIs while slashing .235/.308/.506 in 155 contests.

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