The Los Angeles Dodgers are wasting no time this offseason, already making moves to tighten up their roster ahead of 2026. One of their first steps was reinforcing the bullpen with the addition of Edwin Díaz - a clear signal that the front office is focused on addressing key areas that held them back last season.
But the bullpen isn’t the only part of the roster under the microscope. The outfield, particularly left field, remains a question mark, and how the Dodgers choose to answer it could shape the rest of their winter.
One name that keeps coming up in those conversations is Teoscar Hernández. The Dodgers are reportedly exploring trade options for the veteran outfielder, and when you take a closer look at the numbers, it’s not hard to see why.
Hernández is coming off a down year at the plate and remains one of the least effective defenders in the league. In a way, moving him could be a case of addition by subtraction - especially for a team with championship aspirations and little room for defensive liabilities.
But if a trade doesn’t materialize, the Dodgers may look to reposition Hernández rather than remove him. Manager Dave Roberts hasn’t ruled out a shift to left field in an effort to mask some of the defensive shortcomings that have plagued Hernández in right.
“Teo certainly fits,” Roberts said. “He’s helped us win two championships, he’s one of my favorites.”
Roberts also pointed to a noticeable improvement in Hernández’s defense late last season, specifically referencing a game in Colorado where he felt the outfielder turned a corner.
“From that point on, his right-field defense was at least average,” Roberts added. “So for me, that was sufficient with the bat potential.”
That’s a key phrase - “with the bat potential.” Because the reality is, if Hernández isn’t hitting, his defensive limitations become a lot harder to tolerate.
Last season, he slashed .247/.284/.454 with a 102 wRC+, which essentially means he was just a tick above league average offensively. Combine that with -9 Outs Above Average - a mark that puts him in the bottom 3% of all defenders - and you get a player who finished with just 0.6 WAR over 134 games.
Among players with at least 500 plate appearances, only 13 managed to produce less value than Hernández in 2025.
And it’s not just a right field problem. Hernández also posted -9 OAA in left field during the 2024 season, so simply moving him across the outfield isn’t guaranteed to fix the issue. Still, left field tends to be more forgiving defensively, and the Dodgers could be hoping that a change of scenery - even within the same ballpark - helps limit the damage.
But even if the glove improves slightly, the bat has to bounce back. Hernández has shown he can be a legitimate offensive force - he’s posted a wRC+ above 130 in four of his eight full seasons, and his career mark sits at 117.
But he’s also had four seasons below 110, including last year. If the Dodgers believe he’s trending in the wrong direction, moving him now - while there’s still some value attached to his name - might be the smarter play.
For now, Roberts says Hernández is penciled in as the team’s right fielder. But with the Dodgers still looking to add to their outfield, and with Hernández’s trade value hanging in the balance, that could change quickly. Whether it’s a trade or a position shift, the Dodgers have decisions to make - and they’ll need to get them right if they want to maximize the roster heading into another title chase.