Red Sox eyeing Teoscar Hernandez in free agency: Report

Red Sox eyeing Teoscar Hernandez in free agency: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Will the Boston Red Sox finally put their money where their mouths are this offseason?

The Red Sox haven’t made the playoffs since 2021 and their biggest free-agent additions in that span include shortstop Trevor Story (six years, $140 million in 2022) and Masataka Yoshida (five years, $90 million in 2023). Whether they level up this winter remains to be seen, but chief baseball officer Craig Breslow at least appears to have some irons in the fire.

The Red Sox are among the teams showing interest in free-agent outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported Thursday, adding that the Baltimore Orioles and other clubs are in the mix as well.

Hernandez would be a very good fit for Boston, which needs right-handed power in its lineup. The 32-year-old mashed a career-high 33 home runs with 99 RBIs for the Dodgers this past season while playing a key role in Los Angeles’ World Series run.

The former Toronto Blue Jays star also happens to love Fenway Park.

“He might be the most prototypical Fenway Park hitter in baseball,” our Red Sox Insider John Tomase wrote of Hernandez this week. “He owns more homers in Fenway (14) than any other road park, and he has made no secret of his love of hitting here. He’s coming off a postseason that saw him hit three homers and drive in 12 during L.A.’s run to a title, and he’d supply proven and reliable right-handed thunder alongside Rafael Devers for short years and relatively short dollars.”

The Athletic’s Tim Britton projects Hernandez landing a deal in the ballpark of three years, $69 million. That’s actually steep by the Red Sox’s recent standards, but if they want to return to contention after three straight seasons at or below .500, it’s a cost they should be willing to pay.

Boston pursued Hernandez last winter but low-balled him by offering a two-year, $28 million deal that he turned down to sign a one-year, $23.5 million contract with L.A. If the Red Sox are serious about adding talent this offseason, they shouldn’t repeat that strategy.