As the Los Angeles Dodgers entered the offseason trying to improve their outfield, one possibility that came up involved trading Teoscar Hernández.
The Dodgers reportedly placed Hernández on the trade block and kicked the tires on potential deals. Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes downplayed the possibility, but the rumors persisted and the Kansas City Royals were connected to him.
No deal has come to fruition, and Hernández has remained with the Dodgers. That is likely to remain the case as the Dodgers expect to keep Hernández for the 2026 season, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
Fresh off their stunning signing of free-agent right fielder Kyle Tucker, the Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to keep Teoscar Hernández and move him to left field.
The Dodgers considered moving Hernández to left field all offseason, and after signing Kyle Tucker, their decision became that much easier.
Hernández is coming off a poor season where he hit just .247/.284/.454 with a 102 wRC+ during the 2025 season. He still posted solid counting stats and power numbers with 29 doubles, 25 home runs and 89 RBI in 134 games, but struggled with consistency and failed to get on base at an average clip.
The 33-year-old also finished with -9 outs above average, placing him in the third percentile of defenders, or in other terms, one of the worst defenders in baseball.
Due to his struggles at the plate and in the field, Hernández accumulated just 0.6 WAR in 134 games. Only 13 players with at least 500 plate appearances accumulated fewer WAR than Hernández in his 546 plate appearances.
With his poor production and contract, Hernández likely became a difficult player to trade.
The Dodgers will now hope he can have a rebound season at the plate while covering up some of the defensive flaws by keeping him in left field.
Teoscar Hernández contract
Excluding deferred salary, Hernández has two years and north of $46 million remaining on his contract. His deal with the Dodgers included a $23 million signing bonus, $23.5 million in deferred salary, and $15 million team option for 2028 or a $6.5 million buyout.
The Dodgers then owe $2.35 million to Hernández annually from 2030-2039.
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