The Dodgers are not likely to trade veteran outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, despite trade rumors, and are not fully expected to even after signing Kyle Tucker, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.
Rosenthal reported that the Dodgers are in fact “likely to keep Hernandez,” who played as the Dodgers’ everyday right fielder in 2025, posting a 738 OPS with 25 home runs and 89 RBIs in 134 games. Hernandez posted a 1.5 WAR in 2025, and despite providing value offensively with his bat, along with his veteran presence, Hernandez has struggled extensively with outfield defense, in which he put up a -9 OAA (outs above average), which ranks in the bottom third percentile amongst MLB right fielders in 2025, according to Baseball Savant.
Hernandez Value With The Bat But Defensive Struggles
The defensive drop-off goes back to 2023, when Hernandez was considered a close-to-league-average defender in the outfield. Since then, of course, he has gotten older, and with age, that can lead to a noticeable loss of sprint speed and overall movement. Hernandez is currently 33 years old and is making $ 16.9 million for the Dodgers in 2026 after signing a 3-year, $66 million contract extension during the 2024-25 offseason, according to Spotrac. He has a club option for 2027 at $15 million, per Spotrac. The Dodgers plan, despite Hernandez’s defensive concerns, is to move Hernandez to left field, since Kyle Tucker’s primary position is right field, Rosenthal says.
There were trade rumors and speculation tied to Hernandez this offseason as a possible Dodgers trade candidate. Still, the value Hernandez provides in terms of consistent offensive production despite the defensive struggles and regression doesn’t make it a straightforward decision for the Dodgers, even after signing right fielder Kyle Tucker.
Signing Kyle Tucker Doesn’t Mean They’ll Trade Hernandez
The Dodgers, with Tucker in right field and Hernandez presumably moving to left field, according to reporters Rosenthal and Gonzalez, leave the question of who will play center field. When looking at the Dodgers depth chart, they have young outfielders in Andy Pages and Alex Call, as well as utility player Tommy Edman, who can play center field if needed.
Pages, who’s just 25 years old, posted an impressive sophomore campaign in 2025, hitting 27 home runs in 156 games while playing elite defense in the outfield, primarily center field, where he ranks in the 97th percentile in terms of OAA (outs above average) and in the 90th and 98th percentile for arm strength and arm value, according to Baseball Savant.
Looking strictly at all these factors combined, one can start to see that the Dodgers’ outfield in 2026 is taking shape, with a Hernandez, Pages, and Tucker outfield currently looking like the most probable outcome when factoring in these reports, players’ skill sets, and offensive and defensive value. Edman, being the utility guy that he is, could remain in that role for the Dodgers in 2026, given all these current factors.
At least from an offense perspective, as it pertains to the everyday starting lineup, it certainly makes sense why the Dodgers would want to perhaps keep Hernandez, a player who does make their lineup better in addition to Kyle Tucker. His veteran presence and contributions to the Dodgers’ championship efforts over the last few years also can’t be underestimated.
Dodgers Not Likely Trading This Outfielder After Signing Kyle Tucker