The Blue Jays have reportedly reached out to the Dodgers about a Teoscar Hernández reunion. The former Toronto slugger could be a smart plan B.

Dodgers beat reporter Pat Ragazzo reported that a source told him Toronto has shown interest. The Jays missed out on Kyle Tucker last offseason.

The contract makes it interesting. Hernández is owed $17 million for 2027, with a $15 million club option for 2028.

That's a low-risk structure. If it doesn't work, he's a one-year rental, and if it does, Toronto holds the option.

It's also cheaper than the top free-agent bats. Seiya Suzuki and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are both expected to command well over $20 million a year.

Would he even need time to adjust? Not in Toronto.

Teoscar Hernández already knows his way around Rogers Centre

He spent six seasons with the Jays from 2017 to 2022. Toronto then traded him to the Mariners for relievers Erik Swanson and Adam Macko, neither of whom is still with the club.

After one season in Seattle, he signed with the Dodgers. In 2024, he made the All-Star team, hit a career-high 33 homers and won a World Series.

He's still productive in October. In Game 1 of this year's NLCS, he went 2-for-4, earning a bump in the order ahead of Will Smith for Game 2.

This is a smart backup plan. Toronto badly needs right-handed power, and a 34-year-old on a short, team-friendly deal beats overpaying a free agent who doesn't fit.

Bringing him back is like returning to a favourite restaurant that moved across town. Same chef, same flavour, just a slightly longer drive.

Timing matters, though. Ross Atkins said the front office will focus on the Japanese free-agent market first, which points to Teruaki Sato or Suzuki as the top targets.

That means a deal probably wouldn't happen right away. The Dodgers, swept by the Brewers in the NLCS, may also want to reshuffle on their own timeline.

If the big swings miss, Hernández is waiting. And this time, a reunion might actually make more sense than nostalgia.