Teoscar Hernandez slams Red Sox for 'bad offer' in free agency

The Red Sox’s seemingly minimal offer ruined any chance of landing 2024 Home Run Derby champion Teoscar Hernandez last offseason, the right-handed slugger revealed this week.

Hernandez, who played in his second MLB All-Star Game Tuesday in Texas, was offered a contract to play in Beantown when he was a free agent over the winter but said a “bad deal” pushed him to Southern California with the Dodgers.

“It was two years, $28 million,” Hernandez said of Boston’s offer in an interview with the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast Thursday. “Obviously, I wasn’t going to spend my free time trying to get a bad contract. At the end of the day, I love the Red Sox. They were one of my favorite teams,” Hernandez said. “And I love playing (at Fenway Park), but at the end of the day, I have to do what’s best for me, my career and my family.”

Teoscar Hernandez won this year's Home Run Derby. — Teoscar Hernandez won this year’s Home Run Derby. AP

The 31-year-old outfielder ultimately signed a one-year, $23.5 million contract with the Dodgers in January, a move that worked out pretty well for both sides midway through the season.

Hernandez has been excellent in three-plus months with the Dodgers, hitting .261/.327/.475 with 19 homers and 62 RBIs in 95 games.

The nine-year MLB veteran will be able to test free agency again after a near-career year and a big payday from Los Angeles, something Boston’s deal wouldn’t have made possible.

Hernandez said he also sought a third year with the Red Sox, which would have kept him in Boston through 2026, but the team balked.

Teoscar Hernandez could have easily played for the Red Sox this season. Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

“I thought they were going to make it (a third year), but unfortunately they said they had to wait because they had to make changes and all that,” Hernandez said during his appearance on the podcast. “And I couldn’t wait any longer.”

Even though they could have used Hernandez’s bat in the middle of their order, the Red Sox’ 2024 season has gone better than expected.

The Red Sox are 53-42 after the second half of the season, sitting in the third wild-card spot in the American League and 4 1/2 games behind the Orioles in the AL East.