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Whenever Juan Soto makes a decision on where he’ll play, the New York Yankees will either be in a very good or very bad position. Not only would losing Soto be a disaster for their lineup, but with the expectation of him not signing until late in the offseason, there’s a chance that the Yankees will miss out on other targets.
Finding a Soto replacement would be tough, no matter the circumstance, but him picking a different team late in the winter would be the worst outcome. If he decides early, the Yankees would at least have time to speak with others.
Among the other players they could target include Teoscar Hernandez, who Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Yankees “want” if Soto doesn’t return.
“Teoscar Hernández, outfielder: Hernández’s desire for a deal of at least three years was only helped by his great division series and World Series performances. The Dodgers are the favorites to bring him back where he thrived in 2024,” Passan wrote on November 12.
“Boston is in. So is Baltimore. And the Yankees want him if Soto doesn’t come back, though he could have already signed by the time New York knows where it stands with Soto. Chances are Hernández will be one of the first big names off the board.”
Hernandez Would Be Much Cheaper Than Soto
Soto is a better player than Hernandez. There isn’t much of a debate about that. While one player is looking at a $600-plus million deal, Hernandez seems to be in the $50 to $75 million ballpark.
There are factors such as age and production that contribute to that.
Still, Soto is one of the best the game has ever seen. That doesn’t take away from what Hernandez has done in his career, but they’re completely different players.
Their contracts will reflect that.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report made a new prediction for Hernandez: He’ll land a three-year, $54 million deal.
“Speaking of players who just won World Series titles with the Dodgers, Teoscar Hernández signed a one-year, $23.5 million pillow contract to join Los Angeles after a relatively underwhelming contract year with the Seattle Mariners. It turned out to be a great arrangement for all parties.
“In his second consecutive contract year, he benefitted greatly from hitting in a star-studded lineup, homering 33 times, driving in 99 runs and posting an .840 OPS. There’s also a joy that he plays the game with that’s contagious and makes him particularly valuable to teams with World Series-caliber rosters,” Kelly wrote on November 11.
Could the Yankees Sign Soto and Hernandez?
If Hernandez were only to sign a three-year, $54 million deal, the New York Yankees should be in the mix regardless of what Soto does.
He could slot into the outfield long-term, and they could look to trade Jasson Dominguez for a different area of need. A lineup that would feature Soto and Hernandez would be scary.
The Yankees learned firsthand during the World Series how good Hernandez is, as the right-handed slugger hit a big double in Game 5, a swing that ultimately helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win a ring.
Whether it’s realistic to sign both remains to be seen, but $54 million isn’t much. Even breaking it down to $18 million AAV, the Yankees have the money to give him that.