LOS ANGELES — Teoscar Hernandez officially declined the Dodgers’ qualifying offer before Tuesday’s deadline.
The move was expected and does not affect the Dodgers’ ability to negotiate with the outfielder or sign him to a new contract. It does mean the Dodgers will receive draft-pick compensation if Hernandez signs with another team.
Hernandez signed with the Dodgers for one year and $23.5 million last winter. He is already drawing interest from multiple teams this year after hitting a career-high 33 home runs and driving in 99 runs while making the All-Star team and winning his third Silver Slugger award.
The qualifying offer this year is a one-year, $21.05 million contract. Of 13 players extended the offer, only Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Martinez accepted.
Tuesday was also the deadline for teams to add players to their 40-man roster and protect them from next month’s Rule 5 draft. The Dodgers added just one player, left-handed reliever Jack Dreyer.
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Dreyer, 25, was undrafted out of the University of Iowa after an injury-riddled college career. The son of former major-leaguer Steve Dreyer (18 games with the Texas Rangers in 1993 and 1994), Jack Dreyer missed all of 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and made his professional debut with 12 games in the Arizona Complex League in 2022.
He spent 2023 with Class-A Great Lakes then moved up through Double-A to Triple-A this past season, going a combined 5-2 with a 2.20 ERA, 72 strikeouts and 12 walks in 57⅓ innings.