There’s not much more Teoscar Hernández can do or say to make it clearer that he should be a Dodger for the foreseeable future. He has said he wants to be there several times, including on prime time national television, and he has made that even clearer should Stay during Game 3 of the NLDS against the Padres when he hit a grand slam to cut the Dodgers’ deficit from five to one and save the team from utter humiliation after the loss.

When we projected a new contract for Hernández, we assumed four years and $100 million, with a possible $25 million option for a fifth year. If the Dodgers overcome the DS and he continues to pitch like this the rest of the postseason, he may be able to get even more out of it.

However, Hernández told reporters before Friday night’s elimination game that he and the Dodgers had not had formal discussions about a contract extension or a new contract.

This isn’t entirely surprising; While Hernández has excelled all year, the Dodgers have bigger problems right now before they can focus on preparing for 2025. It’s better to stay in the here and now, but we can also practically feel other interested teams starting to circle.

Teoscar Hernández and the Dodgers have not yet entered into extension talks

Not only do the Dodgers have to try to win the World Series this season, they also have to think about the future of a top candidate. Dalton Rushing, their minor league player of the year, switched positions from catcher/first base to left field before his promotion to Triple-A. This appeared to be a move to allow Rushing to make his MLB debut with the Dodgers rather than them having to trade him, but he would be blocked again if the Dodgers re-signed Hernández.

And maybe they will choose this path. Hernández has proven to be a great addition to any lineup this year, and Rushing could be an incredibly strong trade player for LA. Still, their ambiguity should definitely look like an opening for other interested teams.

The Red Sox could be a potential suitor; Hernández’s decision making last year came down to Boston and LA, but he chose LA because he wanted to go to a team that would win. The Red Sox finished with a flat .500 record this year, so we wouldn’t necessarily call it a result winnerbut if there’s no space available in LA, he might as well go somewhere that’s already expressed interest, and should definitely be willing to up his offer a second time. After all, Boston proved last summer that they are closer than most outsiders thought.

Win now and think about contracts later, yes, and Hernández appears to be waiting until the Dodgers have to decide whether or not they want him back. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t listen to other tempting offers that might put him off if LA waits too long.