Sure sounds like the door is wide open for the Blue Jays to bring Teoscar Hernandez back

When the World Series concluded, it felt as if it was a matter of when, not if, Teoscar Hernandez would re-sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Juan Soto elected to sign elsewhere, it felt even more certain that the Hernandez reunion was going to happen. I mean, why wouldn't it?

He was a key contributor for them in their run to and through the World Series and he also made it abundantly clear during the team's victory parade that he'd like to be back. It made too much sense not to happen.

Well, we're in mid-December now, and Hernandez is still a free agent. The Dodgers are still interested in bringing him back, but it's far from a done deal. In fact, according to the latest report from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the door appears to be wide open for a team like the Toronto Blue Jays to sign him.

"The Dodgers and Hernández seemed headed for a reunion, but the two sides haven’t been able to reach a deal thus far. That opened the door for other teams – namely the Red Sox and Blue Jays – to jump in on the outfielder, who is seeking a three-year deal in the $22-24 million a year range, per sources," Feinsand wrote.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.

Dodgers are gifting Ross Atkins golden opportunity to bring Teoscar Hernandez back to Toronto

Hernandez is coming off a season that saw him slash .272/.339/.501 with a career-high 33 home runs and 99 RBI with the Dodgers. He was an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger, and even received some MVP votes. With that in mind, it's a bit of a surprise that he's seeking just a three-year deal worth roughly $22-24 million annually.

Yes, Hernandez does strike out a lot and isn't the best defender, but still. That price honestly feels pretty team-friendly, especially when considering this market.

What makes it even more surprising is that the Dodgers reportedly offered him a two-year deal worth $60 million. It's surprising that Hernandez didn't take that if he really wanted to be with Los Angeles considering the monstrous AAV, and it's even more surprising that the Dodgers didn't just offer him a third year. Hernandez is 32 years old, chances are, he'll still be a useful player in three years even if he isn't a star then.

The Dodgers' reluctance to meet Hernandez's fairly cheap demands opens the door wide open for the Jays to get a deal done. Hernandez played in Toronto from 2017 through 2022, and he became one of the most important players in their lineup. He also grew to be close with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The Jays are in dire need of an influx of offense, particularly in the power department. They could use an outfielder. It makes too much sense.

The Jays might need to offer a tad more to get him over the Dodgers, but that shouldn't be an issue when the ask is reasonable. He isn't Juan Soto, but he's one of the best big bats out there. If the Dodgers screw it up, the Jays need to find a way to take advantage.