Teoscar Hernandez pours cold water all over a Blue Jays reunion in free agency

The Los Angeles Dodgers' decision to sign Teoscar Hernandez to a one-year, $23 million deal this past offseason is just one of the the latest installments in a streak of brilliant moves by Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. It has certainly paid off for both the Hernandez and the Dodgers, who won their eighth World Series championship Wednesday — with the outfielder playing a huge role and delivering a game-tying double in the eventual Game 5 clincher.

But now the champagne has been popped and Los Angeles saw its first Dodgers victory parade since 1988, which means that, while there is still celebrating to be done, it's time to start looking towards next season. And for Hernandez, that means going over his free agency options.

Coming off his best offensive season in the Majors, including a sensational playoff run, Hernandez figures to have plenty of suitors this winter. Recent rumors suggested that one of those suitors would be the Toronto Blue Jays, where Hernandez played between 2017 and 2022. While it was assumed that Hernandez might be interested in a reunion, he quickly disabused people of that notion before free agency even began.

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Sorry, Toronto: Teoscar Hernandez wants to stay with the Dodgers

Earning a World Series ring in his first season with a superstar-stacked Dodgers team has made Hernandez very happy with his decision to come to L.A. So happy, in fact, that he is willing to admit to ESPN that he's more or less already made up his mind before hearing a single contract offer: "the Dodgers will be my priority in free agency," Hernandez said. "I will do whatever is possible to return. It's not in my hands, but if it were I'd pick them."

While being so forthcoming about wanting to stay in Los Angeles may not help his leverage, what he managed to do to help the Dodgers en route to their championship will. He was originally brought on to help cover a weakness in left field. He has done that and so much more.

Hernandez had three standout moments in the World Series alone. He hit a two-run homer in Game 2, unleashed a perfect throw from left field to beat Giancarlo Stanton to home plate during Game 3 and hit the RBI double that tied Game 5 to cap off the Dodgers' insane rally in the fifth inning.

Given Hernandez's enthusiasm for and his success with the team, it seems as if there will be mutual interest in the Dodgers re-signing the outfielder. For Toronto, meanwhile, it appears to be back to the drawing board as the Jays look to improve their outfield in 2025.