After two years of running it back, the Los Angeles Dodgers must retool the roster while keeping their core intact and making some tough decisions, including trading some current players.
Why the Dodgers may trade veterans
In the 2025 offseason, the Dodgers aimed for a three-peat, adding Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker while re-signing players like Miguel Rojas and Kike Hernandez.
Offseason rumblings suggested moving on from Teoscar Hernandez or Tyler Glasnow, but no move ever gained serious traction.
However, after the Milwaukee Brewers swept us in the NLCS, the need to get younger has never been more evident.
Here are three players who could be traded in an effort to upgrade the offense or free up money:
Teoscar Hernandez
Hernandez is the most obvious trade candidate. He is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $17 million, with a $15 million club option in 2028.
Hernandez will be 34 in 2027, and as a player who lacks defensive and base-running skills, the team could deal him to open a spot for Josue De Paula, another prospect, or a younger free agent/trade target.
The Dodgers tend to have a good feel about when to move on from players, and Hernandez is a clear avenue where the team can improve.
He hit .267/.334/.425 with 16 home runs, but Hernandez has picked up some injuries over the last two years. A righty with some pop will be in demand, especially if there’s an opening at DH.
Tommy Edman
Edman has three more years left on his contract and is only 31, making him a somewhat surprising inclusion on this list.
However, while his defense remains quality and his versatility is valuable, his bat hasn’t been good enough over the long run.
He has moments when he delivers clutch hits and goes on a hot stretch, but when he’s off-kilter, he whiffs and chases a lot.
The Dodgers value his defense and experience, but if they want to upgrade their infield hitting, they could move Edman or, at a minimum, platoon him as a defensive option rather than the current de facto starting second baseman.
In the postseason, he went 1-for-16 with a walk and three strikeouts. He was far from the only player to struggle, but his cold stretch compounded others’ struggles.
Tyler Glasnow
Glasnow was rumored to be available in the 2025 offseason, potentially freeing up some money. He will be 33 next season, with two years left on his deal.
He pitched fewer than 91 innings in each of his last two years with the Dodgers and missed a lot of time on the injured list.
The righty also struggled in the postseason this year, putting up a 5.00 ERA over nine innings.
As a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher, he is a total luxury for the Dodgers, but at $30 million for the upcoming season and with a possible Tarik Skubal signing, he may not be worth it.
Of the three players, Glasnow may be the least likely to move given his elite stuff when he is healthy and pitching, but if the focus shifts to hitting upgrades, Glasnow could bring in assets or free up needed resources to improve.
