Teoscar Hernandez discusses turning down a Red Sox contract offer over the offseason

“At the end of the day, I have to make what is best for me and my career and my family.”

The Red Sox were close to signing this year’s Home Run Derby winner over the winter. But Boston’s contract offer wasn’t good enough, according to the player himself.

Teoscar Hernandez, who eventually landed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in January, said in an interview with WEEI’s Rob Bradford that the Red Sox’ final offer to the outfielder was two years, $28 million.

The 31-year-old power hitter inked a one-year, $23.5 million contract with the powerhouse Dodgers instead.

“Obviously, I was not gonna go and spend my free agency trying to get a bad deal,” Hernandez said when asked if he would have accepted a three-year deal from Boston. “Because at the end of the day, I love the Red Sox. The Red Sox was one of my favorite teams. And I love playing in (Fenway Park). But at the end of the day, I have to make what is best for me and my career and my family.

“Honestly at the end, I thought they were gonna make it. But unfortunately, they said they have to wait because they have to make some move and all that stuff. I couldn’t wait any longer.”

It sure sounds like the right-handed hitter wanted to wear a Red Sox uniform this season, but he wasn’t going to accept Boston’s offer. Vice-versa, it sounds like the team wasn’t going to budge, according to Hernandez.

Halfway through the season, the Red Sox have to be pleased with their outfield production and performance despite not landing Hernandez. Boston’s outfield is one of the best in baseball, thanks in part to Jarren Duran’s breakout season and Wilyer Abreu’s impressive rookie year.

Nonetheless, the Red Sox’ unwillingness to spend this past offseason remains a topic of conversation. Boston’s pitching staff, both its rotation and bullpen, has turned out to be one of the better arsenals in baseball despite the team only signing a couple of arms when that was their biggest need over the winter.

If the Red Sox add at the trade deadline (set for July 30 at 6 p.m.) and exceed spring training expectations by making the playoffs, perhaps talk of their lack of winter spending will quiet. If not, Hernandez’s perspective of Boston’s free agency strategy could circulate for a while.

“The way they approach the free agency, teams that wanna win, they spend. They go after good players,” he said. “I’m not saying they don’t have good players, because they do. The Red Sox are really good right now, and they have amazing players. But for my part, I just wanna go to a team that is looking for everybody that is good to win, to spend. (A team that is) not afraid to spend and to go after good players to make their team better.”