The Los Angeles Dodgers’ signing of All-Star free agent Kyle Tucker gave their roster a big bat, but could lead to Teoscar Hernandez’s exit.
Hernandez’s status within the Dodgers has been under question since the Winter Meetings this offseason, with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney reporting the Dodgers mentioned him in trade conversations.
“Hernández’s name is coming up in trade conversations, according to league sources,” the article reads. “The Dodgers view a deal as unlikely, but the idea of it, at least, is not without logic.”
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ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez also reported this as a possibility after Tucker’s move to L.A., though stated it “is not necessarily a foregone conclusion.”
“The addition of Tucker ultimately could push the Dodgers to trade corner outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, but a source familiar with the team’s thinking said that is not necessarily a foregone conclusion,” Gonzalez wrote. “The team can easily shift Hernandez from right field to left, with Andy Pages remaining the everyday center fielder and utility man Tommy Edman, coming off ankle surgery, entrenched as the second baseman.”
Why Should the Dodgers Keep Teoscar Hernández?
Hernandez is a key part of the Dodgers organization and will more than likely have a starting spot on the Dodgers next year in left field with Tucker taking his preferred position in right, per Rosenthal.
If the Dodgers were to include Hernandez in a trade, they’d be short an outfielder once again. Before Tucker’s arrival, the expectation was Hernandez would play in right, Andy Pages would captain the outfield and either Alex Call or Ryan Ward would man left. Adding Tucker to the lineup is a clear upgrade over both players and would ensure the Dodgers didn’t need to look around for another outfielder, at least not for opening day.
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Additionally, trading Hernandez would take away one of the few right-handed power bats in L.A.’s lineup. Tucker, Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani all bat left-handed, and getting rid of Hernandez could leave the lineup lopsided in that regard.
Despite having a down season in 2025, Hernandez still managed an OPS+ above league average and 25 home runs — the fifth season in a row he has reached that number.
While Hernandez isn’t the premier power bat in the outfield anymore, his skillset will complement Tucker’s presence on the Dodgers and add another layer to one of the best offenses in baseball.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
One Response
I think there is something really important that gets overlooked when any team is in the midst of deciding on its roster, and its role is rarely considered and never made part of the value of a player – and that is loyalty. Loyalty to the team and to the city it represents. Yet, I believe it is always considered by a player when it comes time to decide on a contract. I’m a Dodgers fan, and that is the only example I can speak to. First, Miguel Rojas comes to mind. He wasted no time in making his decision to stay with the club, and, I would surmise, it had nothing to do with money. Teoscar Hernandez made his decision to sign last year with the Dodgers, and he made it clear that his first choice was Dodgers. He even went beyond this, after he signed, to state that he wanted the Dodgers to sign several other players, i.e., Kike, Andy, and probably others. Kershaw’s tenure is one of the most recent examples of this loyalty. In my opinion, this type of “glue” gets overlooked far too often, and when it does, it can be devastating on both sides of the equation. When a contract is made between the team and its players, loyalty is far too important to be overlooked. Too often, dismissing loyalty into the black pit of “it’s not personal, it’s just business” breaks hearts and diminishes an important part of our humanity.