Dodgers likely to keep Teoscar Hernandez

Teoscar Hernández‘s name surfaced in trade rumors earlier this winter, and now that Kyle Tucker joined the Los Angeles outfield, that created natural speculation that the Dodgers could free up space by moving Hernandez elsewhere. Even with Tucker in the fold, however, it’s more likely than not that Hernandez will still be a Dodger on Opening Day, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.

The Dodgers’ plan is likely to move Hernandez to left field, with Tucker taking his usual position in right field. Andy Pages And Tommy Edman would be the primary center field options with Alex calls in a reserve outfield role, and Edman may also be the best option in a shifty second base mix that also includes Miguel Rojas, Hyeseong Kim, Alex Freelandand new acquisition Andy Ibanez. A reunion with Enrique Hernandez at some point this offseason can’t be ruled out either.

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts and general manager Brandon Gomes both downplayed the idea of ​​a Hernandez trade in December, and even Rosenthal’s initial report on trade talks said it was “unlikely” the Dodgers would move on just a year after signing Hernandez to a three-year, $66 million free agent contract. The remaining money on this deal breaks down into $12 million in 2026, $14.5 million in 2027 and a $6.5 million buyout of a $15 million club option for the 2028 season.

Half of that $66 million guaranteed has already been covered in the form of a $23 million signing bonus and a $10 million salary for 2025, plus $23.5 million of the $66 million total is deferred until 2031. A team trading for Hernandez would therefore only take $33 million over a two-year period, with the remaining deferrals reducing that overall price.

That modest remaining cost likely led a few struggling teams to at least float the idea of ​​a Hernandez deal with Los Angeles, and the Royals were cited as one of the interested clubs. While money isn’t exactly an object for the big-spending Dodgers, moving Hernandez would have provided the team with a luxury tax break and opened up a little more space in the outfield for other players. Call or Edman could get more playing time on the turf, which would then remove Edman from the second base battle. Several of the Dodgers’ top prospects are outfielders, so players like Jose De Paula could have had more room to make his Major League debut in 2026.

By keeping Hernandez, the Dodgers avoid any potential pitfalls related to depth or untested players as Los Angeles attempts to win its third straight World Series title. It’s also possible that Hernandez’s trade market was a little thin following a mediocre year for the veteran. Hernandez still hit 25 home runs, but his .247/.284/.454 slash line over 546 plate appearances translated to just a 102 wRC+, and his walk rate dipped to a career-low 4.8%.

Hernandez also only had a 107 wRC+ in 2023, although he rebounded after that season to hit more like his old self in his first year with the Dodgers in 2024. Another bounce-back performance shouldn’t be ruled out as Hernandez enters his age-33 season, but his subpar defense means his value is limited if he doesn’t hit.

While trading a proven big like Hernandez may not be an option for the Dodgers, the champs have enough depth all over the diamond to be able to turn to any number of less established players as trade chips. Rosenthal suggests that the right-hander Bobby Miller or minor league outfielder Ryan Ward There might be players. Los Angeles is more open to business.

Just a few years removed from being one of the game’s top pitching prospects, Miller performed well in his 2023 rookie season but struggled to an 8.85 ERA in 61 MLB innings since Opening Day 2024. He appeared in just two Major League games in 2025 while continuing to battle control issues at the Triple-A level. Ward is an eighth-round pick in the 2019 draft who has crushed Triple-A pitchers in 2025, and while he likely would have already had a chance in the Show in a less star-studded organization, Ward is entering his age-28 season and likely isn’t in the Dodgers’ long-term plans.