Teoscar Hernandez is a familiar face for the Jays as he has a history with them. The Blue Jays traded him back in 2022 to Seattle, but ever since then, the team has felt his absence in the lineup. After that trade, Hernandez kept his bat blazing and last year signed a one-year deal with the LA Dodgers. Now, with that tenure ending and the Jays needing a powerful bat, a move back in would be perfect, right?

Even Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic predicted that after the Dodgers, it’s the Blue Jays for Hernandez. The Los Angeles Dodgers would hate to lose Hernandez, though. “My hopes are really high,” Hernandez previously said about re-signing with the Dodgers. “Like I’ve said before, the Dodgers are the priority obviously. I’m going to do everything in my power to come back.”

Teoscar Hernandez is coming off a career-high season, blasting 33 home runs and driving in 99 RBIs to help them clinch their world title. At 32, he’s back in the free-agent market, and given his outstanding gameplay, he is set to get a good paycheck. In fact, Ken Rosenthal mentioned in his report for ‘The Athletic’:

“The best guess with Teoscar Hernández is that he will return to the Dodgers on a three-year deal for more than $60 million. If Hernández somehow does not land back with the Dodgers, the Blue Jays might be his most logical destination.”

Additionally, the Toronto Blue Jays would love to swoop in and snag Juan Soto. But let’s be real; clinching the gem of this offseason isn’t easy or inexpensive. While there’s still no clear frontrunner for Juan Soto, New York is leading with the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. So it looks like Soto and Hernandez are on the Toronto Blue Jays’ radar.

“But with Soto, the Dodgers are doing what they often do with elite free agents, hanging around the backboard, seeing if the ball somehow falls into their hands,” mentioned Rosenthal. Now, this is a strategy that failed with Bryce Harper in 2019. The Dodgers offered him a three-year deal, which included opt-outs and an average yearly amount of around $35 million to $40 million. Possibly Soto could reject the short-term offer.

But coming back to Teoscar Hernandez, he left an undeniable mark during his time with the Toronto Blue Jays. He solidified his role as an everyday player in 2018 and emerged as a star by 2020, even clinching two Silver Slugger awards and his first all-star nod during the time. From 2018 to 2022, he slashed .263, with a .819 OPS. So, his moving back to the Jays might not be the flashiest move, but it’s the smartest one.

Teoscar Hernandez’s return can determine the Blue Jays’ future…

The Toronto Blue Jays were the ones who very early on got into the Juan Soto sweepstakes. The team had the money left after their stint with Shohei Ohtani ended poorly, and they wanted to get this season’s ‘hero’ at least. But clinching a superstar might come with strings attached.

Rosenthal mentioned that signing Soto would almost certainly result in Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s departure the next season, given that signing Soto and keeping Guerrero with his massive contract would be too monstrous for the team.

Moreover, with Guerrero’s payday coming, it’s unlikely that they can afford both stars. But Rosenthal gave an alternative by which they can retain Guerrero and also bolster their lineup. “Re-signing (Teoscar Hernandez) could be a major step toward the Jays retaining Vladimir Guerrero Jr.,”  Ken Rosenthal noted. So, bringing him will strengthen that bond and the team.

Plus, pairing Hernandez with Guerrero alongside the other cornerstones like Bo Bichette and George Springer could help anchor the lineup. Not to mention, the team will be financially flexible.

For the Blue Jays, now, it’s clear—they can either bet on Juan Soto or bring Teoscar Hernandez in and help the team overall. Who do you think they will go for? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.