The New York Yankees are right in the middle of the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but it’s wise for the organization to have contingency plans in place.
While the Yankees are still viewed as the favorites to win the bidding war for Soto, which could cost them up to $700 million, there is a universe in which the 26-year-old phenom cuts ties in favor of another team.
In that hypothetical scenario, the Yankees would likely use that unused money to replace Soto with a handful of stars.
One of those players in the contingency plan is Los Angeles Dodgers star Teoscar Hernandez, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
“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. Boston is in. So is Baltimore. And the Yankees want him if Soto doesn’t come back, though Hernández 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,” Passan wrote.
Hernandez proved to be a menace against the Yankees during the 2024 season, and he’s coming off arguably the best season of his career.
The 32-year-old earned his second All-Star nod and third Silver Slugger award after slashing .272/.339/.501 with 33 home runs, 99 RBI and a 137 OPS+ (37 percent better than league average).
The Yankees won’t be able to sign both Soto and Hernandez, and it seems likely the latter will sign with the Dodgers after winning the World Series.
However, if the Yankees fail to re-sign Soto, and Hernandez is still available, it would make sense to see the New York make a strong pitch for him.
