The Dodgers have Teoscar Hernandez sitting in the middle of their offseason conversation, and according to one insider, they’re willing to listen.
With the General Managers’ meetings in Las Vegas stirring up talk around free agents and trade possibilities, MLB insider Bob Nightengale reported that Los Angeles has put Hernandez on the market. As he wrote for USA Today, “They’ve got outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and his remaining $21 million salary on the trade block,”
That puts Hernandez in a very different kind of spotlight. The Dodgers have been quiet so far, with only a minor-league signing and a waiver-wire pickup to this point, and the clock is ticking with less than three weeks left before the league goes into a lockout.
Los Angeles doesn’t have to move him. The club can keep his salary on the books for another year and still pursue other additions, including keeping Tarik Skubal. But there’s a clear baseball case for making a deal now, especially if the front office wants to open the door for Josue De Paula and other outfield prospects.
Hernandez has still been a useful hitter over the last two seasons, even if he hasn’t quite matched the peak he reached in 2024. Over that span, he owns a 106 OPS+, with a .256/.308/.441 line, 41 home runs and 2.4 bWAR.
The downside is just as obvious. His defense in the outfield remains a problem, with limited range and little playmaking since moving to left field. He has also stolen only 10 bases over the last two years, so speed doesn’t add another layer to his game.
There’s still a path where his bat plays up elsewhere. On a different team, one that can use him at DH more often, Hernandez could offer more than he’s shown in Los Angeles. And with one more year left to cash in on him in the trade market, the Dodgers may decide this is the moment to move him.
In Other News...
Dodgers Face A Costly Infield Decision After Key Departures
The Dodgers are already looking ahead to how they patch up the infield after a pair of familiar faces moved on, and the early free-agent market has given them a couple of practical options. According to The Athletic, Los Angeles has shown interest in Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Mauricio Dubon as it weighs how to replace the departures of Miguel Rojas, who retired, and Kike Hernandez, who is now a free agent.
Both players bring the kind of flexibility the Dodgers tend to value, with the club evaluating not just defense but whether either can add enough offense to make the fit worthwhile. It is the sort of decision that can quietly shape a roster for months, especially for a team that likes to keep its bench and infield mix adaptable, and the next move will say plenty about how aggressively the Dodgers want to address that opening. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers May Be Letting A Rival Steal A Major Rotation Prize
Tarik Skubal has quickly become one of the most closely watched names on the market, with the Dodgers among the clubs circling as they weigh how far to go for a frontline arm. Los Angeles has been tied to a short-term, high-value approach, which fits the way the club often balances urgency with long-term flexibility, but it is not the only contender in the mix. The Mets, Padres and Blue Jays are also involved, turning this into the kind of bidding situation that can move fast once one team decides to push harder.
The Blue Jays, in particular, appear capable of changing the conversation if they decide to lean into a longer-term proposal, the sort of structure they reportedly explored with Kyle Tucker. That leaves the Dodgers in an interesting spot, interested but maybe not yet as aggressive as some of the other suitors. With talks still ongoing, the question is whether Los Angeles is waiting for the market to come to it or whether a rival is about to set the pace on one of the winters biggest rotation prizes. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face One Contract Problem In Tarik Skubal Pursuit
Tarik Skubals arrival last season gave the Dodgers exactly what they hoped for when they swung the trade, and he backed it up with strong work in both the regular season and the postseason. So it is no surprise that Los Angeles is expected to stay in the mix if the left-hander reaches free agency, especially for a club that has never shied away from chasing elite talent when it believes the fit is right.
The complication is the kind that can shape an entire winter: money. The Dodgers have to weigh the expected cost of a long-term Skubal deal against broader financial concerns, including the possibility of a future MLB salary cap, and that could make them more cautious than usual about how far they go. Even with their track record of landing top free agents, this is the sort of contract decision that can force a team to choose between staying aggressive and protecting its long-term flexibility. [Read more 🡒]