It looks like the Boston Red Sox have a backup plan in case they don’t emerge victorious in the Juan Soto Derby.

The Red Sox have been linked to Teoscar Hernández since the start of the offseason and are keeping their name in the race for the hard-hitting outfielder.

“The Red Sox are sticking with Teoscar Hernández but face stiff competition from the Dodgers and Yankees, a source says.” Chris Cotillo of MassLive posted on Saturday evening on the X platform.

Cotillo also noted that the market for Hernández is expected to “heat up once Soto signs.”

Hernández wouldn’t be much of a consolation prize if the Red Sox didn’t sign Soto. The two-time All-Star would be a much cheaper option and is coming off a season with the Dodgers in which he hit a career-high 33 homers, 99 RBIs and a .272 batting average.

The 32-year-old feels like a logical replacement for Tyler O’Neill, who reportedly agreed to a deal to join the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday. Hernández was great at Fenway Park in his career, posting a .282 batting average with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs in 44 games.

Boston’s pursuit of Hernández will likely depend on what ultimately happens with Soto — he’s expected to make a decision in a day or two — but the longer they wait for Hernández, the harder it could be to sign him.