After winning the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers front office quickly got back to work with their sights set on a three-peat.
Among the Dodgers’ needs are adding an outfielder and shoring up their bullpen, both of which were issues for the club throughout this past season. The Dodgers don’t appear likely to spend big for a third winter in a row, so they could look to get creative to solve their needs.
Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernández are the only two Dodgers outfielders locked into a starting spot at present time, but as they go through all their options on how to improve, there might be an addition-by-subtraction scenario.
Although a deal may be unlikely, Hernández has been involved in some of the Dodgers’ trade talks, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
Hernández’s name is coming up in trade conversations, according to league sources. The Dodgers view a deal as unlikely, but the idea of it, at least, is not without logic.
By trading Hernández, the Dodgers could drastically improve their outfield defense. Even if it comes at the expense of some offense, it would still likely be a net positive for the team overall.
Hernández is among the worst defenders in baseball, and his offense also dipped during the 2025 season. That resulted in the right fielder posting a WAR of just 0.6, amounting to only slightly better than a replacement-level player.
But even with his declining offense, Hernández could still offer an upgrade to many teams with his power as their designated hitter at a reasonable cost. The 33-year-old has still slugged at least 25 home runs in five consecutive seasons.
However, trading Hernández creates another hole for the Dodgers to fill in their lineup, and would make them even more left-handed heavy in the power department. The Dodgers would need to add two starting-caliber outfielders, instead of just the one they currently need.
Both scenarios with a Hernández trade have their positives and negatives worth considering, which is why the Dodgers appear open to a deal. While nothing seems close to being done, all it takes is one team to present the right offer.
Teoscar Hernández hopes to play in WBC
The Dodgers figure to be well-represented in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but to this point, only Shohei Ohtani is confirmed to be playing.
Although they haven’t formally committed yet, Mookie Betts and Will Smith could both return to the international competition as well with Team USA. They were part of the 2023 United States roster that lost to Japan in the championship game.
In addition, Hernández said he’s interested in playing in the 2026 WBC and wants to help lead Team Dominican Republic to a championship.
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