The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves with a Teoscar Hernandez problem after adding Kyle Tucker to their outfield mix. What started as offseason chatter about moving Hernandez has turned into a legitimate roster crunch.
Early this winter, Hernandez’s name popped up in trade talks before the Dodgers shut that down. That was before they locked up Tucker for four years to patrol right field at Dodger Stadium.
Now Tucker’s arrival pushes Hernandez to left field, which isn’t exactly breaking news. The Dodgers have been kicking around that idea since the offseason started. But here’s the thing – they might not actually want to go through with it.
Hernandez bounced back nicely in 2024 after signing that one-year prove-it deal with LA. The two-time All-Star and now two-time World Series champ crushed a career-high 34 home runs with a 132 wRC+ and 3.4 fWAR. Then 2025 happened. He dropped to a 102 wRC+ and 0.6 fWAR.
That’s the issue right there.
When Hernandez isn’t hitting above average, he becomes a liability in the outfield. He’s league-average defensively at best. And with Shohei Ohtani healthy, there’s no reason to stick Hernandez at DH either.
So this might be the perfect time to move him. If he doesn’t turn things around in 2026, he could handcuff the roster rather than give it flexibility. The thing is, there’s definitely a market for a guy like Hernandez – especially considering his postseason track record and the fact that he’s not breaking anyone’s budget.
His contract runs $66 million over three years (two remaining) at an AAV of $19.9 million with some deferrals baked in. Coming off a down year compared to 2024, the Dodgers aren’t exactly in sell-low territory with Hernandez. But they could be soon if they wait too long.
Look, if they hold onto him and he doesn’t return to 2024 form, it won’t hurt their checkbook. The Dodgers basically print money at this point. But regardless of how much they spend, they’re the best organization in baseball because they know how to spend on the right players.
If signing Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz after winning back-to-back World Series doesn’t make it obvious, the Dodgers are intent on maximizing every roster spot. A Hernandez trade could bring back bullpen depth, which they’re always looking to add. Or maybe a package of prospects – possibly even a near-MLB ready outfield prospect who could slide right into playing time.
Hernandez certainly has value in the current trade market. The Dodgers haven’t gone on record saying they’ve changed their mind about keeping him, but assuming they haven’t after adding Tucker would be pretty unwise.
The way I see it, this is about roster construction more than anything else. They’ve got the talent and the resources to make whatever move serves them best long-term.
