The New York Yankees, like many other major-market MLB teams, seem to be in a holding pattern. They are actively competing to sign star slugger Juan Soto, and as ESPN’s Jeff Passan has pointed out, many other significant offseason moves won’t happen until Soto finalizes his contract.
Once those talks are settled, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report predicts that another big hitter will secure a deal, with the Yankees potentially landing Teoscar Hernández on a five-year, $100 million contract.
Reuter compares this to Nick Castellanos’ five-year, $100 million agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies, noting that while Hernández might still return to the Los Angeles Dodgers, his market will open up once the Soto situation is resolved.
Securing Hernández from the Dodgers would be a significant win for the Yankees. The outfielder posted a .272/.339/.501 line in 2024 with Los Angeles, earning his third Silver Slugger Award, second All-Star selection, third MVP vote season, and a World Series championship.
His performance on a one-year deal with the Dodgers has raised his market value, and the Dodgers might opt to let him go in free agency with stars like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani leading the lineup.
After a decent but not outstanding 2023 season with the Seattle Mariners, Hernández signed a one-year, $23.5 million deal with the Dodgers. He then hit a career-high 33 home runs and helped secure a World Series title, positioning himself as one of the top free-agent hitters.
A move to the Yankees would likely make sense if they miss out on Soto and need an outfield replacement. Reuter also speculates that the Boston Red Sox could ultimately land Soto with a $675 million offer.
