A new report says the Los Angeles Dodgers are close to finalizing the terms of a new contract with their apparent Plan B for free agent Juan Soto, but are waiting to hear about their Plan A — along with four other teams.

Noah Camras and Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation say: “Teoscar Hernández has made it clear all along that he has a desire to re-sign with the Dodgers. As of Sunday, the two teams are close, but the Dodgers are not ready to reach an agreement yet.” There is no current timetable for completing a deal.

The teams that don’t sign Soto – his other reported finalists include the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays – will reportedly still need a corner outfielder who can hit with power. If not Soto, Hernández is a logical backup option on the free agent market.

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According to Dodgers Nation, there is confirmed interest in Soto from the Yankees and Red Sox.

A report circulated Wednesday that Hernández and the Dodgers were “trying to finalize the final details of a contract.” However, this report turned out to be premature.

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It appears the market for Hernández, outfielder Anthony Santander and others affected by Soto’s decision won’t accelerate until Soto formally informs the secondary picks that they have been removed from his consideration.

Hernández, 32, hit 33 home runs, drove in 99 and batted .272 after signing a one-year, $23.5 million contract with the Dodgers in January. In addition to making the National League All-Star team and winning a Silver Slugger Award, Hernández became the first Dodger player to win the Home Run Derby in July.

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The Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series in October and are looking to keep their momentum going into 2025. If they can’t move Soto, a cornerstone of the Yankees’ success last season, they can do a lot worse than re-signing a player who established himself as a favorite in the team’s clubhouse and fan base.

Soto, 26, hit 41 home runs, scored an American League-leading 128 runs, drove in 109 and reached base while batting .419 ahead of MVP Aaron Judge with the New York Yankees in 2024.

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