1:51PM: According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, the Mets’ offer to Hernandez would have been similar in annual average value to his contract with the Dodgers, but without deferrals. The Mets are still open to shorter-term deals for outfield or DH help, possibly at a lower cost than signing Hernandez. Sammon also mentions that the Mets have interest in bringing back Jesse Winker in a similar role.
1:25PM: Despite initially showing limited interest in the free agent outfield market, particularly focusing on Juan Soto, the Mets made a late bid for Teoscar Hernandez after Soto signed with New York. Newsday’s Tim Healey reports that the Mets offered Hernandez a two-year deal, which he turned down to re-sign with the Dodgers for three years and $66 million.
Although the Mets have the financial ability to pursue any player, their interest in Hernandez could have been just a precautionary measure. Signing Hernandez would have been costly in terms of draft picks and international bonus pool money, as he also rejected a qualifying offer. Additionally, adding Hernandez would have created more competition in the outfield lineup, potentially impacting the roles of current players like Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte.
With a crowded outfield picture, the Mets may be less inclined to pursue another outfield bat unless Marte is traded. The focus for New York remains on potential additions to the corner infield positions, with Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman being linked to the club as options for reinforcement.
